


Silver Hammer (A Noise Comes From Behind)

by Jude_Rigby



Series: Beware Of Darkness [9]
Category: Castle (TV 2009)
Genre: Crime, Drama, F/M, Family, Family Bonding, Family Feels, Father's Day, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-10
Updated: 2021-01-10
Packaged: 2021-03-14 15:41:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 129,802
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28673142
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jude_Rigby/pseuds/Jude_Rigby
Summary: With a woman beaten to death in her apartment and no signs of a break-in, Castle and Beckett's new case is a look at players and silver hammers as they try to find the killer. And with the school year ending, they prepare to celebrate Father's Day with their family; though Alexis is still in California. Ninth in the Beware of Darkness series.
Relationships: Kate Beckett & Richard Castle, Kate Beckett/Richard Castle
Series: Beware Of Darkness [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2006014
Kudos: 1





	1. Prologue- Where The Waters Flow

**Author's Note:**

> There's a lyric in this chapter from the song Kicked around No More by Paul McCartney here, from his album Off the Ground: The Complete Works.
> 
> The title of this story is a mixture of lyrics from the song Maxwell's Silver Hammer by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from The Beatles album Abbey Road. The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Down to the River by Paul McCartney, from his album Off the Ground: The Complete Works.

Lying still in bed, Beckett listened to the sound of the waves breaking outside the window, the noise interrupted from time to time by the cry of a seagull. She finally made herself get up, sliding out carefully before going to one of the windows. Looking out on the water, she saw there was a slight haze that was nearly gone and she was relieved, since when it had been getting a little foggy the night before when they'd arrived, Julia had grown worried about their chances to swim the next day. She smiled as she glanced back at Castle, looking around his room in his beach house, remembering the last time they'd been there they'd been freezing.

As Beckett was thinking about the weather that Memorial Day weekend, Julia peered around the doorway until her mother saw her. She smiled when she put her fingers to her lips before hurrying inside to hug her tightly. "Morning Mommy," she said happily, but in a whisper.

"Morning sweetie, how'd you sleep?" Beckett asked, picking her up and kissing her temple as she turned to the window so they could look out.

"Really good, I love the water, it sounds nice," Julia replied. "Can we go swimming today?"

"We can, but we need to wake up Castle first," Beckett said, unable to help laughing softly as her daughter looked surprised to hear the word we.

"You want me to help?" Julia asked.

"You can start," Beckett replied simply. "But I think you'll need my help eventually." She had walked over to the bed as she'd spoken, and set Julia down, getting on after her.

Shaking his shoulder, Julia watched Castle groan loudly before turning onto his back. "Is he up?" she asked her mother.

"I don't think so," Beckett replied with a smile as she knew from the tone of that noise that her fiancé was already awake. "Maybe if you slap him on the cheek he'll-"

"Whoa, okay, I'm up now," Castle said, cutting her off before she could continue. "Really?" he asked her.

"Well, you probably would have dragged things on for a lot longer if I hadn't said that," Beckett replied with a shrug.

Shaking his head, Castle looked at their daughter then and said, "Good morning Julia, how'd you sleep?"

"Mommy asked, and I slept nice," Julia said. "She said we can go swimming."

"So I guess the weather cleared up?" Castle asked, pulling her to him for a hug.

"It did," Beckett said, watching them. "But you still need to wear your vest sweetie."

"No, she's right," Castle said as Julia started to open her mouth to protest. "You know how to swim now but it's still tough to swim in the ocean."

"Then I can practice," the little girl pointed out.

"Yes you can, but, when you're not practicing," Beckett said. "You need to wear the vest."

"Can we swim in the pool?" Julia asked.

"Yes, it's ready," Castle answered as Beckett had looked to him to answer that. "But you know," he then continued with, grabbing Beckett's hand to pull her down on the bed with him. "I am a little tired still, you must be too right?"

"Very much so," Beckett said jokingly, knowing what he was doing. "Aren't you sweetie?"

"No, I want to go swimming, I waited a long time to get to come back," Julia protested seriously as she looked down at them.

"Really? How long?" Castle asked, reaching down and taking his fiancée's hand since he had his arm under her neck.

"Very long, since Christmas," Julia said.

"Sure you don't want to take a little nap before we get up for breakfast?" Beckett asked.

"No," Julia said firmly, shaking her head back and forth. "I wanna go to the beach and swim, forever."

"That's a little too long," Castle said as he and Beckett laughed at their daughter's tone. He let her go as she sat up to hug Julia to her, and followed her, kissing the little girl's temple saying, "I'll get breakfast started."

"Can we eat outside?" Julia asked pleadingly.

"We can, but you need to get dressed first," Beckett replied as Castle looked to her to answer.

"Good, I can wear my bathing suit," Julia said.

"We'll meet you downstairs," Beckett said as she got off the bed and he helped Julia down.

Grabbing her hand before she could follow Julia out into the hall, Castle pulled her close and kissed her gently before they pulled apart slowly. "So I finally managed to get you out here for Memorial Day," he said.

Shaking her head, Beckett said, "It was inevitable, this will be our house too once we're married," as she was leaving the room.

"I think it already is," Castle corrected her. Once she was out of earshot, he grabbed his clothing, looking around the room while he did so, and feeling a strange sense of that being true. Since they'd arrived the day before, he'd felt that they'd been making the trip many times before; not just the two previous times they'd come with their daughter. Shaking his head at that when he heard Julia's laugh from down the hall, he hurried to change and get breakfast prepared, knowing the little girl was as ready as he was to begin their holiday weekend.

* * *

Running out of the house ahead of her mother and Castle, Julia would have gone straight down to the water if her mother hadn't called her name sternly. She stopped abruptly on the transition between grass and sand, and turned to them as they sat at the two white chairs behind her. "Sorry," she said as she walked back to them at her mother's beckoning hand. "But I wanted to see shells."

"We'll go down together okay? But for now, eat your pancakes that you and Castle made," Beckett said, kissing her cheek tenderly.

"Do I have to sit?" Julia asked, since there wasn't anywhere else to sit except their laps.

"Only if you want to," Castle said, handing her a fork. "So I got us dinner reservations at The White Narrows."

"Did you not know you'd be able to?" Beckett asked with a smile as she easily remembered the place.

"No, I was struggling to get a table; luckily I think having to go so early helped me out there. But it'll likely be crowded," Castle said. "What is it sweetheart?" he asked Julia as she was tugging on his sleeve. "Finish your piece you just ate before you talk," he said before Beckett handed him a napkin to wipe off her chin.

When she had finished, Julia quickly asked, "Is that where we ate before?" When both Castle and her mother nodded she then asked excitedly, "Do we dress up?"

"A little," he replied, seeing Beckett looking at him out of the corner of his eye. "It's not going to be fancy, but you will get to wear a dress."

"Do I have one?" Julia asked her mother, frowning as she didn't remember her packing one in her suitcase.

"No, but that's because of him," Beckett said, nodding her head to Castle. "He told me not to."

"After lunch with the Fosters," he said, trying not to laugh at the two turning to him at nearly the same time. "I want us to head into downtown and get some gelato for dessert. But first, a dress for tonight; Alexis told me there's a new kids clothing boutique. She insisted her friend Stephanie said they had great clothes for Julia."

"Which she would know since she does know her," Beckett said, remembering the young woman. "Okay, we'll go, but she's picking out the dress."

"I'll buy it for you," Castle said. "And you need to promise me something."

"Kay," Julia said, finishing another bite of pancakes.

"Make sure you can wear your necklace with it," Castle said.

"I'm sure she will," Beckett said, shaking her head with a smile as Julia was doing so too. "You do realize she'll likely pick a dress in blue."

"That's what I'm hoping for," Castle said. "Oh, now I remember why talking about the shells made me think I was forgetting something. You know how I have something on my table in the middle?" he said, directing the question to Julia. When she nodded; eating again; he said, "I wanted to get some shells for a bowl, to put out during the summer. Want to pick them out this weekend?"

"Can I?" Julia asked excitedly. "Mommy, what about my vases?"

"Vases?" Castle asked his fiancée.

"Earlier this week we were talking about her room," Beckett said, nodding back to the house. "And she's ready to start decorating it."

"I'll bet," Castle said. "And you want to put vases in there?"

"She needs another dresser," Beckett said simply. "A tall one, for more storage, and also because her room is big enough for it. So what she thought of doing is getting two tall vases, and picking shells from here to put in them."

"And sand, I wanna put that on the bottom and then a lot of shells," Julia explained.

"Knowing you, they'll be a lot of shells," Castle said. "Luckily you have the buckets for making sandcastles so we can use those. Sounds like we'll be getting a lot; I just hope we'll have enough time to swim."

"We will," Beckett said quickly when Julia turned to her with a worried expression on her face. "Finish eating and we'll see how the water is."

Trying not to race through the rest of her meal, Julia waited on one of the chairs as Castle and Beckett took everything they'd used back into the house. She was tempted to go down to the water, but knew her mother was serious about giving her a time out if she did that. So she waited, swinging her feet back and forth until she was suddenly lifted up, crying out in surprise before she saw that it was Castle. "Now we can go?" she asked.

"We can," Beckett said, holding a bag with her daughter's beach toys. She gave it to Julia, telling her, "Go ahead and look now while we get everything set up."

Running to the line of shells in the water, Julia started to pick up whatever she could find; studying each one to make sure it wasn't broken before putting it into the bucket she'd brought with her. "We'll find lots of shells," she said in a matter of fact tone as her mother and Castle joined her.

"Looks like you're right," he said. "For now though, swim?"

"Yes please," Julia said, dropping her bucket. When she heard the clatter of seashells in it she cried out, "My shells!"

"They'll be okay," Beckett said as the little girl was peering at them. She got Julia's attention and took off her cover up dress and took the vest Castle held out to her. "It might be too cold," she warned as she got the buckles along the front set.

"That's kay, I will get used to it," Julia said simply. "Are you gonna go swimming? Please?"

"I will, just let me take off my dress," Beckett said.

Castle walked over to her then, since he was in his just his trunks, and knelt in front of the little girl, testing her vest. He then pulled on the buckles, making her rock back and forth to her giggle. "Okay," he said to Beckett who was walking up to them. "I think she's ready to go."

"Looks like it," she said as their daughter took their hands, pulling them.

"It's cold!" Julia cried out with a squeal as the water lapped over their feet.

"Still want to swim?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, but it's still cold," Julia laughed as he pretended to stagger back when the next wave washed over them.

"We'll work our way in," Beckett commented. "But very, very slowly."

Once she was in the water enough for her feet to come off the sand, Julia tried to duck but had a little difficulty because of the vest. "Can we go down?" she asked her mother and Castle who were watching her.

"I think that can be managed. You up to it Kate?" Castle asked his fiancée.

"One, two, three," Beckett simply counted off in response before they went underneath at the same time, she and Castle holding their daughter in between them. "Freezing," she breathed when they resurfaced.

Walking around to her, Castle ran his hands over her middle, exposed by her bikini, and laughed when she pushed him away from her before splashing her. "No taking me down?" he asked as Julia dog paddled to him before getting on his back.

"Not with her there," Beckett said, leaning up as he leaned down. She kissed first their daughter's cheek before brushing her lips against Castle's, saying, "I thought you wanted to swim sweetie?"

"Can I jump into the water from here?" Julia asked eagerly, patting his shoulders.

"Yes." "No," Castle and then Beckett said. They looked at each other before he caved in and finally said, "I guess not, but you can jump into the pool from the sides."

"As long as we're there to catch you," Beckett said.

"But what about throwing her into the water?" Castle suggested.

"Yeah, lemme do that Mommy!" Julia said eagerly.

"Fine, but please, that way," Beckett said jokingly as she motioned out towards the water.

"Why does he throw me to the sand," Julia asked as she let go of him so he could pick her up.

"I think your mom's kidding. Ready?" Castle asked. When she nodded he threw her up a little before she landed with a splash in front of them. He and Beckett were quick to make sure she resurfaced; which she did laughing with delight. "I think she liked it," he said to his fiancée.

"I think so," Beckett said, before he was suddenly grabbing her. "Oh no," she said quickly, able to dig her feet into the sand enough to stop him before he could pick her up. "Now I might take you down," she teased him.

"You don't want him to throw you?" Julia asked, watching them.

"I can just do that in the pool," Castle said simply, laughing with the little girl before he turned to his fiancée and nearly jumped back when he found her so close her nose was pressed up against his. "Uh… no?"

"You do anything that involves me falling into the water, you will be punished," Beckett said simply. "Severely, got it?"

"As you said," Castle said, gulping as he had several ways to go in figuring out what exactly she meant by punishment. He didn't let her go though, instead held her to him saying, "Okay sweetheart?"

"Yeah," Julia said, sounding confused until he kissed her mother. She giggled a little and looked down at the water, splashing her hand on it before another wave pushed her back up to the sand. She found her feet back on relatively solid ground, and jumped up and down as the two parted and turned to her. "Can we swim out now?" she begged.

"Why not?" Castle said. "But not that far okay?"

"Yeah, I want you to throw me again," Julia said eagerly as she followed them back out into the water. She began to swim as she'd learned in swimming classes, and kicked her legs as they swam through the waves. "I feel like Lilo!" she cried as they went through one of them.

"Let's stop here," Beckett said, looking back to the beach and seeing they'd gotten a pretty good distance away.

"Can we go more?" Julia asked.

"You're not tired?" Castle asked.

"No, that was fun," Julia replied. "When can I swim without this Mommy, Castle?" she asked, indicating her vest.

"When you're older," Castle said.

"Let's head back," Beckett said, smiling when Julia frowned at that.

"Let the waves take you," Castle told the little girl. "If you get too tired."

"I'm not tired," Julia protested before she started kicking and moving her legs. But she did let the motion of the waves push her towards the shore, and she sat down in the water saying, "Now I am."

"Told you," Castle said, tickling her neck. "You're not going to go swimming again right?" he asked as he'd knelt to get her vest off.

"No," Julia said, watching him. She lay back once he'd finished, and heard the roar of the waves as her ears were underneath the water. She suddenly remembered the shells they were supposed to look for, thinking they didn't have enough for two vases and a bowl. She sat up and turned around, seeing that her mother and Castle were standing in front of the blankets under their umbrella, talking together quietly. She got up hurriedly and ran to them, wrapping her arms around them both before they sat down in front of her and Beckett pulled her onto her lap. Her mother wrapped her up in the towel around her, making Julia laugh as she kissed her cheek and cuddled her close, Castle ruffling her hair at the same time; making the little girl feel safe and very happy with them both.

* * *

"They're here," Beckett said, looking over towards the door to the back as Julia was crying out the same thing. She smiled when Castle hurriedly closed the fridge and followed her over to where their daughter was waving at their guests for lunch.

"I hope it's okay," Rebecca Foster called as she, her husband and daughter walked up the grass to them. "We brought our dog."

"That's fine," Castle said quickly. "A Bernese Mountain Dog?" he asked, recognizing the breed their dog was.

"She is," David Foster replied. "A gift from my parents to the kids."

"Speaking of your kids, where's Shane?" Beckett asked as she and Rebecca exchanged a quick hug before they turned to see their daughters were talking quietly together.

"His Boy Scouts troop is on a boat trip this weekend. They're sailing up the coast to camp at a site up north; well, they're there already. And they'll stay until tomorrow afternoon," Rebecca replied. "Rick didn't mention it to you?"

"I never asked," Beckett said with a slight shrug. "Do you want anything to drink?" she asked after she looked over at Castle and saw that he was talking to David.

"I'll help you get some," Rebecca said. "Mari, do you want something to drink?"

"Please Mommy, can we play with Lily?" the Fosters' daughter asked.

"Me too Mommy, can I?" Julia asked her mother.

"Go ahead, but don't go down to the water sweetie," Beckett said to her daughter. She and Rebecca went inside and she wasn't surprised when the woman asked how things were going at work. "Things are fine," she said simply as they went to the kitchen.

"Is your friend Lanie still trying to set you two up?" Rebecca asked, sitting at the island as Beckett went to the fridge first.

"She is, but not so much as she first was, which is a relief," Beckett replied. "What's she's doing now is talking to me about how he's such a great father, that kind of thing."

"Just that?" Rebecca asked with a smile. "She's not mentioning how he might be good for you yourself?" When she heard her friend's groan at that she laughed a little and asked, "So she is. Do I even want to know what she's saying about him?"

"I don't think so," Beckett said, shaking her head. "But she's basically saying I never know, I could be surprised if we became lovers."

"Not surprised she'd go in that direction, since you did mention her saying you needed…" Rebecca started to say before trailing off.

"I know," Beckett said, shaking her head in response to that. "But she's eased up, so it's not an annoyance now."

"I have to wonder how she'll react when you tell her about you two," Rebecca said.

"She'll be hurt I didn't confide into her," Beckett said, handing the woman a glass of wine before she poured out three more. "By the way, if you ever meet Lanie; likely you will at our wedding; don't tell her you knew already."

"Of course not," Rebecca said quickly to assure her.

"But I'm just hoping she'll understand why we lied to them," Beckett said, taking a deep breath.

"So are you two nervous about the election?" Rebecca asked.

"Slightly, we're more worried than anything else," Beckett said, looking into her glass with a slight frown on her lips. "I just wonder if we're being ridiculous about things though."

"In what way exactly?" Rebecca said.

"We're not exactly officially partners, he's a consultant and he's not a cop," Beckett said. "When he started working with us I thought, at first, it would be temporary. When Gates became Captain of the 12th, I thought his return would be temporary too. But we managed to stay together through this, but now… I mean, I'm not saying I can't work without him, just-"

"You don't want to," Rebecca finished. "And neither does he." When Beckett nodded to that she said, "Well, I don't see what else you could do unless…" she began before trailing off and looking away from her friend as she made a quick face.

Watching her, Beckett said simply, "Unless I left the force. Yeah, I've thought of that, and I know he has too but it won't help anything. It's still a little over a month away, and who knows, the current mayor's friend could win. So it's still a little early to worry."

Rebecca didn't reply to that, sipping her drink, but she finally knew she needed to saying, "I'm not sure about that, though you're right, those polls could be wrong, it's pretty close I think."

Before Beckett could reply to that, she heard Castle calling her name before she heard Julia's crying following it. She ran over to the door with Rebecca, seeing that her fiancé was carrying their daughter. "What happened?" she asked when she saw the scrape on Julia's knee, following him to the bathroom.

"She slipped on the steps up to the house," Castle said, setting the little girl down on the counter next to the sink. "She'll be okay though," he said, kissing Julia's temple.

"You will," Beckett said reassuringly as she turned her tear streaked face to her. She squeezed Julia's hand before getting a washcloth and wetting it before drying her cheeks. By then Castle had returned with some items for the scrape, and she held their daughter as he cleaned it off first, feeling her heart beat in a hard thud as Julia let out a pained cry that ripped through her.

"Just a little ointment," Castle said as he was rubbing it on the wound. "And a nice band-aid," he said, placing it on her knee. "And there you go, you're all set. Does it still hurt?" he asked as Beckett hugged their daughter tightly and kissed her cheek.

"No, thank you," Julia said, her chest hitching a little from her crying. "Mommy, can you…?" she started to ask.

Smiling at that, Beckett leaned over and kissed the band-aid; since she did that whenever her daughter got hurt; and she stood back up to let Castle hug her tightly. "She scared you?" she asked him as he picked their daughter up and then carried her out to the kitchen where the Fosters and their dog were waiting for them.

"Yeah, that crying does not help," Castle said.

"Can I go down?" Julia asked.

"Sure," he said quickly, setting her down after kissing her temple. He felt his fiancée take his hand and he leaned over, kissing her cheek before they turned their attention to their guests. "Sorry about that," he told them, taking the glass of wine Rebecca held out to him.

"Not a problem, and something we're used to," David commented. "You're okay Julia?"

"Yeah," the little girl said after finishing sipping her drink. "Now what?" she asked. "Can Mari and I play?"

"We should eat," Beckett said. "You have dinner to make?" she asked Rebecca.

"We do, his parents are coming over," she answered. "And we're making his dad's favorite, ribs, which take time."

"They're cooking now," Mari piped up.

"Luckily you're right next door if you need to check on them," Castle said as he took a plate of sandwiches out of the fridge he and Beckett had made. "We're eating in the dining room, hopefully that's alright."

"It is," Rebecca said quickly. "You do have a stunning view of the water from there. Have you gone swimming yet Julia?" she asked as they headed to the room.

"Yeah, we're gonna swim in the pool," the little girl answered before slowing down. "Can I still swim?" she asked her mother and Castle worriedly.

"You can," he assured her. "We'll go after we come back from the store."

"Making dinner tonight yourself?" David asked.

"We're heading to a children's clothing store," Beckett said. "For Julia to find a dress for dinner."

"That should be fun," Rebecca said as they started to eat. "Where are you headed?"

"The White Narrows," Beckett said. "But there's something I'm more interested in hearing about," she said to change the subject. "We heard from your mother about your birthday plans Mari," she said to the girl who blushed at being singled out.

"Oh, Mommy told me what yours said about it, but what are you gonna do?" Julia asked excitedly.

"I got a present already, Lily," Mari said, smiling as the dog was lying at the doorway to the room. "My grandma and grandpa brought him early. And we're gonna have a beach party with lots of swimming and games, and then I get to have a sleepover after."

"Sounds like a pretty good birthday," Castle commented. "Did you tell her about yours," he said to Julia.

"No, but it was sooo fun," Julia said eagerly. "And I got some nice presents."

Listening as she proceeded to name all the gifts she'd gotten, Beckett shared a smile with Castle as they continued eating, though she and Rebecca had to urge their daughters to do so as they were soon chattering excitedly; the last of their initial shyness with one another disappearing quickly. After Castle and David had cleared the table, she let Julia go outside with Mari and the dog and she and Rebecca went out to the gazebo, standing in the shade to watch the two play. "We need to leave soon unfortunately," she commented after a while. "I'm not kicking you three out, I'm just saying. Castle wants to get gelato, and once he said it Julia did too, so I'm sure at some point she'll remember."

"We should be going anyways," Rebecca said. "But I wonder, are you coming back this summer?"

Smiling as she knew the woman was wondering if they'd visit before or after she and Castle got married; having told her via e-mail they were hoping to get married in August at the earliest; Beckett said, "I really don't know. We may try and come for the Fourth of July if it's possible, but, I couldn't tell you for sure about that."

"Fine with me, but if you come, you're invited to come over for a meal, likely dinner, but you're invited," Rebecca said, seeing that her husband and Castle had come out of the house. "Before we go, let me see your ring."

"Right, you never had a chance to before this," Beckett said, holding her left hand out to her. She'd taken off the ring and put it with her pendant to swim earlier before putting it back on, and watched as Rebecca whistled as she studied the three diamonds.

"That's pretty… nice," the woman said. "Where did he get it?"

"Tiffany's," Castle said, walking over to them with David. "She never asked so she doesn't know."

"Okay, that would explain that," Rebecca said as Beckett looked to be startled. "So we should go Dave."

"Yeah, before the Crock-pot becomes a mass of rib meat," he replied.

"Thank you so much for inviting us, we'll do this again," Rebecca said as she and Beckett exchanged a quick hug.

"We will, and you're invited to come over for a meal next time too," Beckett replied. She shook David's hand as Castle said goodbye to Rebecca and they followed the couple down to the grass. "Have a great holiday Mari," she called as the family left with their dog once Julia and Mari had hugged goodbye. "Tiffany's?" she asked, turning to her fiancé as she rubbed her thumb over the band of her ring.

Nodding, Castle cleared his throat and said, "When you told me the story about your mom's engagement ring being from there, I had to go and see for myself if I could find one. I wasn't looking for an exact ring, but just wanted at least that link. Hopefully you don't mind-" he'd been about to say when she threw her arms around him and kissed him hard. Though Julia was of course there, he responded to it instantly, holding her tightly against him as they kissed until they needed to breathe. "Since you don't mind, I also was looking for a ring that screamed your name, and that one did, loudly."

"How does a ring scream?" Julia asked, making the two jump as they hadn't expected her to speak.

"I think he means figuratively sweetie," Beckett said.

"I picked what looked like it would look best on your mother's hand," Castle said.

"Oh, then you did a really good job," Julia said, leaning against him. "It's perfect. Now though can we get gelato?"

"Yes we can," Beckett said with a smile. "But first we get your dress remember?"

"Yeah, I'm gonna pick a pretty dress so I look grown up," Julia said seriously as they walked up to the house.

"Not that grown up, remember, I really want you to stay five for as long as possible," Castle said, ruffling her hair. He smiled when she giggled at that, and he followed his fiancée and their daughter inside to get ready to leave for downtown.

* * *

"Think it is really pretty Mommy?" Julia asked her mother softly as they walked down the sidewalk almost forty-five minutes later.

"I do sweetie," Beckett replied, squeezing her hand. "And that was the prettiest blue shade they had there too. So you made a great decision."

"She's right," Castle said. "And you found the balance of looking grown up but still looking like our little girl."

Smiling at that widely, Julia went inside the gelato shop with Castle first saying, "Why didn't we come before?"

"Well, we can't really go in winter, and in the summer we were a little busy trying to get used to each other. It just never came to mind to bring you here," Castle said as they got in line. "But I should have thought about it, you would have liked me for that I think."

Julia bit her lower lip and wrapped her arms around him before they got to the tubs of gelato. "What do I get? Oh! Mommy, Castle, can I get a cone?" she asked eagerly, looking at all the different kinds there were.

"Yes, but one scoop only," Beckett said a little sternly.

"You must choose wisely," Castle said gravely. When Julia and his fiancée looked at him he shrugged saying, "Always wanted to say that line from the movie."

"What movie?" Julia asked.

" _Indiana Jones_ , but those you need to be a little older to see, maybe next year if your mom agrees," Castle said quickly. "But for now let me read to you what they have, and if you want to try something just ask okay?" At her nod he proceeded to read the flavors, not realizing that Beckett was watching them, a slight smile playing across her lips.

Comparing how they'd been nearly a year before, Beckett couldn't help feel a sense of relief that the two were basically as close as a father and daughter; as Castle was with Alexis. She stepped up to them as they looked at her to order, and she kneeled down to kiss Julia's forehead before they shared a kiss. Standing up, she saw her fiancé was looking at her out of the corner of his eye, and she squeezed his hand before she took her cone to let him know she'd do better than that later, his body relaxing letting her know that he'd gotten the message loud and clear, making her smile widely as she and their daughter waited for him to pay.

"Can we go back home on the beach?" Julia asked once they had left the shop.

"We can," Castle said. "Follow me and I'll show you the way. Remember this because Alexis loves to go get some gelato and then walk home."

When they were walking on the sand, Beckett said, "She was flirting with you."

"Oh, I was aware of that," Castle said, shaking his head as he remembered the attractive cashier that had helped them. "It's why I was trying to hurry. And if you brought that up to see why I didn't flirt back… Julia doesn't need to see that."

Nodding as a way of saying thank you, Beckett was quiet for a little; as was he; watching Julia walking down the beach a little ahead of them. She finally spoke saying, "Alexis told me about your weekends you've had here."

"You mean she warned you," Castle said. "And I'm not surprised she did that, but that was before you and Julia so, I don't see myself going back to the way I used to celebrate this weekend. Definitely not breaking out the fireworks."

"Is that because I wouldn't let you or for our daughter's safety?" Beckett asked as they were nearing the beach house.

"For her safety, of course," Castle said. "And partially because you told me not to." He smiled when she shook her head in response and said to Julia once they'd caught up to where she was waiting, "Ready to go swimming?"

"Yes, please," Julia said eagerly, having finished her cone. She followed Castle and her mother followed her as they went to the pool and she didn't wait for them to help her as she took off her dress covering her bathing suit.

"Julia," Beckett said warningly as the little girl started to step towards the pool.

"I know how to swim," Julia whined before she giggled, having been teasing her mother.

"Come here, you do need to put more sunscreen on anyways," Beckett said. When the little girl was close enough, she wrapped her in her arms and said, "How is your knee?"

"I was going to ask her that too," Castle said as they looked down at it.

"It's good," Julia said. "Are you sure I can swim?"

"You can," Beckett said, letting her go as she could hear the tension in her voice. She quickly put sunscreen on her, sending her off with Castle who was ready by then to go. Smiling as she watched the two sit on the top step she called, "Waiting for me?"

"Yeah, I wanna swim with you too Mommy," Julia said, standing up and turning to face her. She jumped a little on the step, splashing Castle before he grabbed her, tickling her a little. "You can swim," she told him after she was sitting on his lap.

"I'll wait for your mom too," he replied, turning to see his fiancée was putting her engagement ring on her necklace again. "Now we can go," he said, setting Julia on the step before he grabbed her mother, falling back into the water with her to her startled cry.

Laughing at her mother's surprise, Julia hurried down the steps and then jumped out into the water, swimming over to where they were resurfacing. "How did you go under?" she asked as her mother held her so she wouldn't need to tread the water.

"You just bend your legs," Castle said, laughing when Beckett pushed his shoulder. "Want to go under?"

"Please," Julia said eagerly.

"Take a deep breath," Beckett said. "One, two, three," and with that they were ducking underneath the water. She opened her eyes to see Julia had her mouth open, letting bubbles float out of it. She laughed when they resurfaced and said, "You love bubbles sweetie."

"Yeah, can I get some later?" Julia asked readily.

"We packed the bottle you have already," Castle said.

"Which one?" Julia said, swimming over to him.

"On my back?" Castle asked before answering her. When she nodded he turned and let her climb onto his back before saying, "The big bottle we bought you last week."

"Oh good," Julia said as he started to swim to the deep end. "Those are nice bubbles." She looked over at her mother, who was following them, and watched as she suddenly ducked under before resurfacing ahead of them. "Can we do that?" she asked him pleadingly.

"Okay, but hold on tightly with your legs," Castle said. "And another deep breath," he told her before he went under, swimming a little distance towards Beckett before he came back up. "Good?" he asked them both.

"She's fine," Beckett said with a smile as Julia was wiping the water away from her eyes. She then started to swim back to the other end when they were close, waving at her daughter when she waved first. Waiting for them, she wasn't surprised when Castle stood, and Julia jumped off before coming back up to swim to her. Scooping her up she kissed her cheek tenderly saying, "Tired yet?" in a joking tone.

"No! Can I do something now?" Julia pleaded.

"What?" Beckett said.

"Help me float," Julia said quickly.

Castle looked on as the two did that, and then went over to the steps to get out and walk over to the deep end. "So you noticed," he said as the two were looking over at him.

"Hard not to hear the water leaving with you," Beckett said, shaking her head as he jumped into the water. "I hope you're ready," she teased him as Julia was already out of the pool.

"Don't run," Castle and Beckett said together when Julia did so for a few steps.

"I want to get back in," Julia said with a smile, though she slowed down to walk. "I'm gonna jump," she warned Castle before she did so. She heard the muted sound of the water before he was picking her up and she said, "Put me back so I can do that again!"

"Kate," Castle said, looking over to her.

"I'll help, but in the meantime…" Beckett said before she trailed off and ducked under the water, swimming back to the deep end.

"She looks like the ones that swim in the lines," Julia commented as Castle put her outside on the edge.

"Except she's not racing," he told her. "Just exercise."

"It looks boring," Julia said honestly.

"I know," Castle said with a laugh. "But she's not going to be doing that the whole time. Now come on, jump in and then we'll go to the deep end together and jump."

"Will you make sure I go back up?" Julia asked, looking a little hesitant at that.

"Of course," Castle said seriously.

"And in case you need me to I'll help you back up Castle," Beckett said, having stopped to watch them.

"Do you know CPR?" he said, looking over at her.

"Don't think I'm going to make a demonstration," Beckett said simply in response since he already knew she did.

"I just want to be sure," Castle said before she rolled her eyes. He smiled and then turned to Julia, watching her jump before he helped her back up.

"Do we have to go to the stairs?" Julia asked as he turned towards them with her in his arms.

"Actually, no," Castle said simply before he put Julia out on the edge and then climbed up after her. He had to struggle for a moment as his feet were slipping against the wall, but he was soon out and he and Julia went to the other end, seeing Beckett sitting on the top step. "I'm surprised you're not filming this," he said to her. When she shrugged he smiled and then said, "Here go, one, two, three," before he and Julia jumped into the water. He was quick to help her up once they were under, and was pleased to hear her laughing loudly. He took her on his back to her mother, and after their daughter was sitting on her lap, leaned over to kiss his fiancée.

"I told you no demonstrations," Beckett said teasingly.

"Did you? Must have had water in my ears," Castle said before he kissed her a second time. It was very chaste and quick, and he then leaned down, kissing Julia's forehead before asking, "Want to play now?"

"Yeah," Julia said, nodding wildly. She giggled when Castle shared a kiss with her and she looked at her mother, pursing her lips before they kissed too. "I love you Mommy," she said with a smile.

"I love you too sweetie," Beckett said, smiling at the joy she could see on her face, cuddling her daughter close as Julia giggled and hugged her back as tightly as she herself was being held.

* * *

"That's a good song," Julia said. "Can I put that on my list?"

"I'll do it," Castle said, grabbing her tablet and opening the document she had. " _Calico Skies_ , and your list is getting pretty long."

"I know sweetie, the reception would have to be about three hours for us to dance to everything," Beckett said with a smile, seeing the list of songs had gotten to three pages.

"Alexis has to see it too and say if it's good too," Julia said, nodding firmly. She sighed and said, "I'm not sleepy Mommy."

"I know, but we want to rest a little before we get changed for dinner," Beckett said, rubbing her back. It was late afternoon and they were on hers and Castle's bed, relaxing until they had to get ready to go.

"Can I ask something? A important question," Julia said seriously.

"How important?" Castle asked.

"Very, very important," Julia said.

Trying not to smile, Beckett said, "Go ahead sweetie."

"Kay," Julia said before taking a deep breath. "Can we get a puppy?"

"I knew that was going to be asked at some point today," Castle said to his fiancée. "It's because of Mari's dog huh?"

Nodding, Julia said, "It was a good doggy, Mari said she was a good girl and that she likes to sleep in her bed with her. I want a puppy like that."

"I wish we could get one sweetie," Beckett said. "But we're not really home that much remember? Also, I think I would want to get a dog if we had a home. I hate to think of a dog cooped up in an apartment; even a lap dog."

"We do have a home," Julia pointed out. "Here."

Looking at her, Castle then asked, "Do you want to live here instead of the city sweetheart?"

Julia pursed her lips at the question, and wouldn't answer, looking down at her tablet which she was holding by then.

"You do?" Beckett said, a little surprised to realize that. "Is it just because we could get a dog?"

"I like my room here," Julia said shyly. "But I like home too, both of them!"

A little appreciative to their daughter for bringing up the subject, Beckett turned to her fiancé and said, "She actually brings up a good point. When we're married, I have to wonder what we'll do when we move in with you."

"Yeah, that's something I've thought of too," Castle said with a slight nod. "I don't want to make her move in to Alexis' room; I want her to have her own."

"So we'd need to find a new apartment," Beckett said simply.

"For us, yes," Castle replied.

"Us who, the three of us or us, Alexis and your mom?" Beckett asked.

"Three of us, but it would be nice to get extra rooms for them to stay in if they want," Castle said. "But I would leave the loft for them."

"You think they'd want to stay? And your mom would essentially be alone since Alexis is still in college," Beckett said, a little surprised; though not entirely so; at his idea.

"I think so, Mother loves the loft, she never really left of course," Castle said. "Despite my trying to help her to do so. What do you think though?"

"As much as I would love to get a place like the one you're describing, do you think you'd be able to find one that wasn't ridiculously expensive?" Beckett asked.

"Well, there's always a brownstone," Castle said slowly.

"I was thinking about that too," Beckett said, following his gaze to their daughter before she slightly shook her head. "But again, would we be able to afford one?"

"I've looked at those," Castle said. "On the West Side, and, I think we could buy one."

"We'll need to see," Beckett said. "Maybe once we have a better idea of the date."

"Why don't we just move here? I have a room, and so do Alexis and Martha," Julia said, having been listening to them.

"I have to work in the city still," Beckett said with a smile. "And that's a really long commute for me."

"Don't worry though, we'll have a home when your mom and I get married, we just need to figure out where," Castle said, ruffling her hair. "And we will, we promise."

"Then can we get a puppy?" Julia begged them.

"That we'll need to see about too," Castle told her. He leaned over and said to his fiancée since she was looking at him questioningly, "I'm not saying we'll get a dog, I'm saying we'll see how things go."

"Thank you," Beckett said before they kissed slowly. They didn't really linger, as she knew that it was time for them to get ready. "I'll send her out to you."

"We can get your bubbles out before your mom is ready," Castle said to Julia as they got off the bed and Beckett picked their daughter up.

"I forgot about those," Julia said with a smile before she motioned to him with her hand. When he was close she kissed his cheek before he returned the gesture. She giggled slightly when he kissed her mother's lips, and said, "I'll come outside right?"

"I'll be waiting," Castle assured her before watching them go.

"Are you gonna surprise Castle?" Julia was asking her mother once they were in her bathroom.

"Most likely, since he hasn't seen my dress yet," Beckett said, filling the tub with water. "Sweetie, I want to ask you something now," she said.

"Kay," Julia said, looking up at her.

"Does it bother you when Castle and I kiss?" Beckett asked.

"No," Julia said, shaking her head vehemently. "I'm not supposed to look am I?"

"You don't have to, but you don't have to be embarrassed," Beckett replied as she set the little girl into the water. "We just want you to know that's what parents do when they're in love."

"I know, Celia's mommy and daddy do that," Julia said. She then asked, "Why did you ask now Mommy?"

"I keep forgetting to ask," Beckett replied. She then started to wash Julia's hair, and said, "Tonight we'll look for more shells okay?"

"Really, at night?" Julia asked enthusiastically. When her mother nodded in confirmation she chattered excitedly through the rest of her bath and then while her mother was changing her until she was ready. "Can I go outside now?" she asked.

"Go, but don't run around in the grass okay," Beckett said, leading her to the top of the stairs.

"I won't," Julia said seriously before she went down.

Smiling as she watched her daughter hurry out the open door to the back, Beckett turned and went to get changed herself, hurrying as she hated being the last one ready.

"Hey, you look great sweetheart," Castle said as Julia went down the stairs. He picked her up then as she stood on the last one and kissed her cheek.

"So I look grown up?" she asked him before he set her down.

"Just enough," Castle said, running his hand over the back of her hair that was in a French braid.

"When do we call Alexis?" Julia asked as she watched him grab the bottle of bubbles that was on the top step.

"Later, before eight," Castle replied, watching as she blew out a few bubbles. "Watch your dress," he reminded her.

Nodding, Julia continued, until she spun with the wand in her hand a little while later, and saw her mother standing just past the doorway to the house. "Mommy," she said eagerly, more to get Castle's attention than anything else.

"You were right sweetie," Beckett said, looking at Castle and seeing his expression.

"Right about what," he said as he waited for Julia to go up the steps first.

"That I would surprise you, and I keep doing that. Any particular reason?" Beckett asked as he walked up to her while their daughter went into the house.

"Just a natural reaction," Castle said with a shrug as he took her in his arms and kissed her deeply. He kept it quick, and took her hand as they walked into the house noting she'd taken off her ring.

"Can we walk?" Julia asked when they reached her.

"Not today, tomorrow we'll walk to that stand near the beach," Castle said. He watched them leave the house ahead of him, shaking his head before he locked the door. Driving them to the restaurant he said, "There are some fireworks at nine, if you want her to stay up that late."

"Can I?" Julia asked a little breathlessly.

"Yes, I was anticipating there'd be legitimate fireworks, it's why I suggested we rest earlier," Beckett said.

"Oh," Julia said. "Thank you Mommy, Castle," she said quickly, a wide smile on her face.

At the restaurant, Castle went to valet parking, as he could see the regular parking was already filled, though it was only a little after six. He got out in a hurry to stop the attendant from opening Beckett's door, doing that himself as he tried to block her from the young man.

"I don't think that's going to work," Beckett said with a smile as she squeezed his arm. "You need to get her." She watched as he went to the back to get Julia out of her car seat, knowing the valet was looking over at her, but she paid no attention. While the dinner was slightly informal, she had taken care with her dress, a recent purchase for the summer. Julia had been with her on that shopping trip; as she usually went shopping for herself after shopping for the little girl; and had been the first to see the draped dress with a high corded sash in black. She couldn't help smile as she remembered Julia's insistence that navy blue would be better, even telling her how she should wear her hair with the just barely knee length dress. She had a feeling her daughter did that to make sure Castle remembered that he loved her, but she couldn't help but appreciate the results as he took her hand to go up to the restaurant once their daughter was out of the car.

Inside, Julia waited with her mother as Castle went to check on their table, turning back and forth to see her skirt belling out around her. She looked up at her mother and then around the restaurant, seeing some of the people waiting were watching her with a smile. She blushed a little and leaned against Beckett before they started to walk, needing to hurry to keep up.

"Here you go," Castle said, picking Julia up to get her onto her booster seat. "Okay?" he asked, making sure the skirt of her dress was set.

Nodding, Julia smoothed it down, smiling at the light blue fabric as she remembered Castle saying she'd look perfect in it. She turned to her mother as she and Castle talked to the waiter, and once the man was gone asked, "Can I get what I got before?"

"You can," Beckett said. "Just be careful you don't spill on your dress."

Nodding, Julia leaned over then and began to color in the coloring book she'd been given, idly listening to her mother and Castle discussing the next day before something he said caught her attention and made her look up.

"I don't know," Beckett said. "It might be too hot to go for a hike."

"Okay, then I'll let you know now that Rebecca and David invited us to sail on their boat again," Castle said.

"Why mention a hike?" Beckett said, shaking her head though she was smiling.

"To mislead you. But they invited us and I said yes," Castle said. "I took the initiative of agreeing to it."

"You're lucky I'd like to do that again," Beckett replied.

"Me too," Julia said quickly. "Are we just going to sail up and back like we did?"

"We might stop at that one beach again, the water's pretty calm. Hopefully we'll have it to ourselves, but I can't guarantee that," Castle replied.

"And we can get more shells?" Julia asked eagerly.

"We can," Beckett said, since she was looking at her as well as Castle. "And Mari will be there too so she can help you with that."

"Are we gonna see dolphins too?" Julia said then.

"That I'm not sure about," Castle said, since his fiancée was looking at him. "But still, it should be pretty fun."

Nodding her head, Julia then asked if they could look for flowers when they stopped. Sharing a look, Castle and Beckett guessed she was ready to go on their trip the next day, and they followed the line of conversation until they'd finished eating, heading out to the car together as Julia eagerly told them about the colors of flowers she was hoping to see.

* * *

Watching her daughter digging her feet into the sand, Beckett had to smile as every time Paul McCartney sang the lyric, _don't wanna be kicked around no more_ , Julia would kick the sand. "Think that's what he meant by kicking sweetie?" she asked as the little girl walked back up to her.

"No," she answered, shaking her head as she leaned against her mother's knees. "But I wanted to kick." She sighed and then said, "Is it time to call yet?"

"Not yet," Castle said, joining them at the chairs. He looked at Beckett's phone; where the music was playing; and said, "Should have known she'd want to listen to this one. Sure you don't want coffee?"

"I'm okay," Beckett said simply. "I'm not particularly thirsty," she said as he handed their daughter the glass of milk he'd been getting for her. "How does your knee feel?" she asked.

"Good," Julia said after setting the glass down. "Look, I can jump still," she said, demonstrating. "And it doesn't hurt my knee."

"Looks like she has a lot of energy," Castle commented, watching.

"With the fireworks we just watched? Of course she does; do you want to go down to the water?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah! Please?" Julia exclaimed, and then asked. She smiled as Castle picked her up to set her on his lap, pulling off her shoes before Beckett took her to help her with her tights. When they were off, she wriggled her toes and moved them in the grass as she watched her mother take off her heels. "Now?"

"Now," Castle said, standing up since his shoes and socks were off. He glanced at his fiancée's bare feet, but shook himself as they each took one of their daughter's hands and walked down to the breaking waves. After squealing over the temperature of the water, he was surprised when Julia grew quiet, looking up. "Okay sweetheart?" he asked.

"I remember the show we watched, about the stars and the planets," Julia said. "You don't see them so good in the city."

"You're right," Beckett said as she and Castle followed her gaze up. "You should see them at Grandpapa's cabin."

"You still haven't gone there?" Castle asked in surprise.

"Not yet, but we'll go next month," Beckett said. "Oh, and you're invited as well."

"I thought it was going to be the Becketts only," Castle said, glancing at Julia; not surprised she was still watching the sky.

"My dad said you'll be part of the family," Beckett said with a slight shrug.

"So do you want me to go?" Castle asked pointedly.

"I do!" Julia said, having heard that and turning to him to throw her arms around him. "And Mommy too, she's just being funny."

Smiling as she hadn't been to surprised their daughter had been able to tell, Beckett said, "She's right, I do want you to go. You've never been up there. And I'd like you to see it. Maybe in the winter you and I could take a short weekend trip together."

"That would be nice, we could get some skiing done, learn to snowboard…" Castle said before he trailed off. As he'd spoke, Julia had let go of his hand and he went over to his fiancée; whom their daughter had let go of as well; and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"Really, you want to try?" Beckett asked, since the last time they'd gone skiing together she'd been unable to get him to even look at a snowboard.

"Why not? I get the feeling if we go on ski trips like I used to go with Alexis more frequently when she was younger you'll want Julia to learn," Castle said.

"Is that like surfing on snow?" Julia asked eagerly.

"It is," he replied. "And your mom knows how to do it really well. Better than I can."

"That's because you never tried it out," Beckett said simply. "And-" she started to say when the alarm on his phone went off.

"Now can we call them?" Julia asked impatiently, knowing that was to remind him to call Alexis and Martha. She cried out when he picked her up abruptly instead of answering, and carried her to the house as Beckett followed. It took longer to get to the TV in the family room, as they had to clean their feet. But finally she was standing in front of the screen as Alexis and Martha appeared. "Hi!" she cried, jumping up and down and waving a little wildly at them.

"Hello darling." "Hey Jules," Martha and then Alexis said, both of them smiling at the little girl's enthusiasm.

"How's San Diego Alexis, Mother?" Castle asked.

"Hello to you both," Martha said first. "And it's gorgeous here again, the weather is phenomenal. You should have joined us."

"If I could have gotten a week off we would have," Beckett said.

"So you'd force me to go back to San Francisco while you guys are still here in San Diego?" Alexis asked with a smile.

"Of course," Castle said seriously before he broke into a smile.

"How's your hotel?" Beckett asked.

"Amazing, look at the view," Alexis said before the screen shook and the three were looking outside the hotel.

"It's pretty! And you're on the ocean?" Julia asked.

"Close, it's San Diego Bay, but it's beautiful," Alexis replied.

"And Tijuana?" Castle said.

"Very fun, we got you a few little souvenirs here and there kiddo," Martha said, looking at Julia.

"I can't wait to see," the little girl said quickly.

"What're you doing now? Clubbing?" Castle asked.

"No," Alexis laughed as Martha rolled her eyes at that. "We're heading to Horton Plaza, for a movie."

"Okay, then be safe, and we'll talk to you tomorrow of course, at this same time," Castle said.

"And have fun in Old Town tomorrow," Beckett said.

"Oh we will, we will," Martha replied. "Have fun yourselves, and good night."

"We'll talk to you tomorrow Julia, okay?" Alexis said, looking at the little girl.

"Kay, but when do you come back?" Julia said.

"I'll be back Tuesday," Martha reminded her.

"And I'll be back next month. See you tomorrow Jules, bye," Alexis said.

"I'll see you too darling, goodnight," Martha said.

As Julia was saying goodnight in response, Castle quickly started to say, "Wait, Alexis, you still haven't…" trailing off when the screen went blank. "She still won't tell me when she's coming home," he said to his fiancée.

"I know, but maybe she's planning a surprise," Beckett pointed out.

"Maybe," Castle said, not sounding too sure of that. He sighed and sat down on the couch next to her, wrapping his arm around her as she leaned against him. He relished the fact that she had become more expressive with him since the four seasons killings, but their daughter was soon leaning against his knees and he pushed the emotion away before he lost control of it. "So what do we do now?" he said idly as he looked at his watch.

"I think we can watch one thing, but it needs to be short," Beckett said, holding his arm up to look up at his watch too.

" _Cosmos_? Please?" Julia begged. "I wanna see the stars again."

"That's fine," Beckett said quickly, knowing Castle was looking at her. "But I could use that coffee right about now."

"Coming up," he said simply as they stood at almost the same time. He leaned down a little and kissed her slowly, but quickly before nearly tearing himself away from her. "Anything for her?"

"I think she's fine," Beckett said with a smile as they looked at their daughter at the same time to see her shaking her head. She watched Castle walk away and sat back down, taking Julia into her arms, hugging her tightly. "Having fun sweetie?" she asked, smoothing some stray hairs away from her forehead.

"Yeah, but I miss Alexis," Julia sighed deeply.

"I know, but she'll be back, and soon, her finals are only in a couple weeks," Beckett assured her, kissing her forehead.

"Ooh, I hope she does good so she can come home," Julia said seriously. "I'm glad I don't have to take big tests like that."

"Be glad for the time you have sweetheart," Castle said, coming in then. He handed a mug to Beckett, letting his fingers trail along hers as he let go, and then sat back down saying, "Are we ready for the cosmos?"

"Yeah, let's see the calendar again!" Julia said eagerly, jumping up and down again. She giggled as the two pulled her to them for a second time that day, kissing her cheeks before they helped her onto the couch to watch the show with them, that same sense of joy and being protected sticking with her as they looked at the TV.

* * *

"I think we should bring her back a lot," Castle was saying quietly. "Especially in the summer when she doesn't have school to tire her out this much."

"You make a good point," Beckett said. "But we'll see how things go. There's a lot we still have to do."

Nodding as he knew what she meant, Castle took her hand with his free one and squeezed it as they entered Julia's bedroom. Looking around the room as Beckett changed their daughter into pajamas, he commented, "I think her plans will work out."

"I don't blame her for wanting to bring the beach into her room," Beckett commented with a smile at that. "Or wanting to change the layout so her bed will be right against the window."

"Neither am I," Castle said, going over since she was finished. He leaned over and brushed his lips across the little girl's forehead murmuring, "Sweet dreams Julia, I love you."

"I love you too, sweet dreams," Beckett whispered as she leaned over to kiss their daughter. She took Castle's hand then as they left, letting him close the lights and door before she let him lead the way down to the family room. "So you want to watch something else?" she asked, unsure if she wanted to wait longer before they headed up to their room.

"Not really," Castle said simply before he sat on the couch with her.

"Then you want to talk?" Beckett asked, a little confused as to what he wanted.

"Actually I was hoping to have a rematch," Castle said.

"Go get the board," Beckett said, shaking her head though she was smiling. She watched him go to the chess board that was on one of the shelves around the TV and said, "I've beaten you before you know."

"Oh I know, but I was thinking about making the stakes a little more… interesting," Castle said.

"Do we need to play this in our room?" Beckett asked, thinking he wanted them to strip for each piece lost.

"No, because neither of us is wearing enough for that to go on for too long," Castle replied, knowing what she meant. "What I'm thinking, is every time one of us captures a piece, whatever it is, we can kiss the other. And I'm not talking about a prissy little kiss on the lips-"

"Prissy?" Beckett asked, giving him a look.

"That's what I said," Castle said seriously. "You'll see what I mean."

"And you assume I'll lose a piece first," Beckett stated instead of asking.

Castle didn't answer that, merely getting up and pulling up an ottoman on the other side of the coffee table. He waited for her to make her move, and as he'd said, he was able to capture one of her pawns first.

"We're sitting on either side of a table, so it might have to be…" Beckett started to say before she trailed off. He'd grabbed her hand, pulling her around to sit on his lap. Before she could say anything, he had his arms around in her a rough embrace, kissing her hard. She had already known what he'd meant by them kissing at each piece lost, so it hadn't been a shock how roughly he was taking her lips. But it was then he slid his hand under her skirt, squeezing once at her thigh. "Okay, so… you're sure you still want to play the game?" she asked, pulling away from him in the surprise that had caused.

"Your move," Castle said simply, though not without a sharp exhale of air as she got off his lap to walk around the table again. He wondered for a moment if he was going to regret the suggestion when Beckett took one of his pawns two moves later. "Should I sit on your lap?" he asked jokingly as she got up to go around to him.

"No," was all that Beckett said in response to that, kissing him without sitting on his lap. She wasn't too surprised when he grabbed her, pulling her to him and forcing her to straddle him. That kiss was very deep, though not as rough as it had been before, but it didn't matter as she knew he was enjoying it as much as she had.

When his fiancée had pulled away, Castle watched as she made him take off his jacket before going back around to sit. He had to take a minute to think of his next move, but was unable to keep her from taking his knight. "I'm-" he started to say before she kissed him hard after nearly striding around the table to drop down onto his lap. Luckily it didn't hurt that much, the kiss doing a lot to distract him. He kept her from getting up again when they finally forced themselves apart, and looking at the board, moved around to take her bishop. "This is taking too long," he groaned before he literally devoured her lips with his own.

Responding to him as fervently as he was kissing her, Beckett ran her hands up and down the back of his neck before letting her right fingers trail along the back of his head. She felt him shuddering as she scraped against his scalp, and she breathed in deeply in joy as they pulled apart. "You know we can stop," she said, biting her lower lip as they watched his hand pushing up her skirt as it trailed along her thigh.

"I know, but I don't want to yet," Castle said as he pulled his hand away but made no move to try and fix her dress.

"So what will the winner get?" Beckett asked as she made her move then.

"We'll figure it out later," Castle said, grunting under his breath suddenly as Beckett squirmed slightly against his lap. "Which is not going to happen if you keep that up."

"Make your move," Beckett said simply. She looked on as his slightly shaking hand moved his queen in front of her king and he simply said, "Check." Tossing her hair back over her right shoulder, she debated her move, and then moved her knight to try to get his queen. When he took her bishop then, she waited for him to claim his reward, but was startled when he just stared at her for a while. "What?" she asked, wondering what he was thinking.

Sitting up a little and making her do the same, Castle pulled down the zipper of her dress enough to take her right breast with his mouth, sucking at it momentarily before she pulled him back. "What?" he asked in protest.

"That's… that's not a kiss," Beckett said, her voice a little distorted.

"Then this is," Castle said, grabbing her and dipping her down as he crushed her lips. He felt her momentarily shift to get more comfortable, responding to him hurriedly before he slid his tongue into her mouth.

Beckett had no idea how long they were kissing, only that she needed to breathe badly. Parting, she caressed his cheeks as he let her sit back up, and she nuzzled his lips with her own before she pulled back fully. Turning to the board, she made a sloppy move with her queen, not even caring where it went as she was more than ready to finish the game. "Checkmate," she said simply as she watched Castle knock her king to the board. She was just able to see his topple after the white piece before he was kissing her, holding her tightly against him as he did so. They took their time, since the game was over, and they hurriedly stood before their lips met again. "You can claim your prize," she told him when they parted to breathe.

"No prize, and no claiming," Castle said. "I just want you need this as much as I do; to need me as much as I have to have you Kate."

Shivering at the tone of his voice, Beckett slipped into his arms, but he didn't kiss her, instead stroking her hair as they stared into each other's eyes. "If I needed you anymore than I do right now, we would probably never step a foot out of bed," she told him. "But I think we can attempt to see how long we can keep up with one another tonight," she said with a smile before she grabbed his hand, pulling him after her to the stairs up to their room, the chess game and his jacket remnants of their prelude to the rest of their night together.

Pulling Beckett to him next to the bed, Castle kissed her deeply before she could do anything, holding her tightly to him. Once they had parted he pressed his forehead against hers and said, "I think I know what I want for my reward."

"Reward?" Beckett said, pulling away to look at him.

"Prize?" Castle said next with a shrug. "That's what you said, but I'm not claiming something."

"Okay, then what is it exactly?" Beckett asked. She wasn't too surprised when he didn't answer that, and instead turned her around. Feeling the zipper being pulled down, she shivered slightly as his fingers were of course brushing along her skin being exposed. She closed her eyes tightly as his lips suddenly pressed to the top of her spine, and he was trailing down it until he got as far as he could. "So that's it?" she asked when he pulled away and helped her get her arms out of the top of the dress.

"Not even close," Castle said as he let her turn back around once she was fully naked. Together they worked over his clothes, getting them off and trying not to go so fast they damaged anything. When they had finished, he gathered her into his arms and kissed her again, that time very roughly. He was waiting to see if it was too much, wanting to make sure she was okay with that. When she didn't try to change how he was kissing her, he pulled away from her and pulled her by the arm to the bed.

Beckett was a little surprised when Castle lay down before she could, but quickly realized what exactly he wanted when he pulled on her hand once he was laying down. "I half expected something else in demand from you," she said, delaying slightly.

"Another night," Castle said simply, pulling on her hand harder. Once she was straddling his head, he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her down to his face.

Jerking a little at the first touch of his tongue on her clit; unable to help it since she hadn't been able to see it; Beckett leaned over the top of the bedstead, settling with her arms on it as she knew she was going to have to try and fight with herself to make things last. And that began almost immediately, as Castle brought his fingers to replace his mouth. That slid down to her folds, and she was biting hard on her lower lip before giving up and vocalizing her pleasure as he rubbed his tongue around her. Each sweep of it was a heady jolt that shot through her, making her feel as if she were literally burning. Clutching at the bedstead though there wasn't much to actually hold on to, she tried not to start moving, not sure if he wanted that; though she desperately wanted to.

Though he wasn't looking at her, Castle seemed to sense her dilemma and hurriedly squeezed her ass with both hands. The action worked, as she immediately started to move with a noise that was a mix of being startled and also relief. He grunted a little as he wasn't unaffected himself by what he was doing. He knew the biggest reaction he was getting was from tasting her, shuddering as he was struck by the thought that it wasn't a fantasy he had made up. Even though he and Beckett had been together for some time, he still had the odd sensation their time together, making love in any way, was all in his mind; a dream or fantasy he could control. But she suddenly sucked in a deep breath, the noise seeming to explode in the silent room, and he was brought back to reality. His imagination was good, but not so much it could recreate the sounds she could make. He suddenly switched his hand and mouth, realizing he was being very much affected at that moment, and needed a distraction desperately.

Trying to look down to see what her fiancé was doing, Beckett wasn't able to see much more than his skin, as it was covered in shadows. But she knew it was him, he was grunting slightly as he went back down to her entrance to replace his fingers with his mouth. She could feel herself tensing up, knowing she was getting close as his mouth and tongue were working, and his fingers were busy against her clit. She let herself relax a little; enough to let her climax come onto her if it needed to; but before it could get to that point where she lost control, he was pulling away, leaving her literally aching as she started to turn around to him.

Kissing her hard to silence any kind of protest, Castle slipped his tongue past her lips, not surprised when she fought back. He knew she was irritated at his stopping, but once they pulled away for some much needed gasps of air, he nuzzled her lips and murmured, "Turn back around."

A little surprised by that, Beckett immediately did as he asked, feeling his hand over the front of her body and making her shiver at his touch. It was sending off a trail of fire that wound through her before settling to where her need was the greatest. She had no idea how long he was caressing her, but finally he had pulled his hand away and was making her lay over the top of the bedstead.

Very carefully, Castle slid into her, wanting to make her guess what he was going to do. He was holding off his groan until he stopped, feeling her hips pressed back against his. Leaning over her, he placed his hands on either side of her body, and he began to thrust. As before he moved slowly, deliberately, partially to throw her off; as she was moving in time with him already; but also to make sure he himself didn't push himself to the edge before he could bring her with him. Wanting to take his time, he slowly built up speed, doing that as unhurriedly as he could as he kept his eye on his fiancée, hoping she was enjoying it as much as he was though he was having a hard time telling with her silent at the moment. "Wait," he said before slightly grunting as she suddenly got up, making him sit up as well. "Is this because… because of what I did?"

Not answering that, Beckett reached back and cupped his cheek with her hand, bringing him to her lips. She took over as soon as he responded; that being a kind of pay back for his stopping so abruptly. But as they worked together to move faster, she took his hands and put them over her breasts, biting at her lower lip as he immediately squeezed them. She was a little startled when he then wrapped his arms fully around her and held her to him as they started to thrust rapidly against one another. Closing her eyes tightly, she could feel herself losing control, having been too close to the edge when he'd pulled away from her. A part of her wanted to stop while the other half of her was pushing further away from having control, and she became a little lost as Castle ran his hands from her breasts to the junction of her legs.

Feeling his fiancée tensing up as he gently slid his fingers over her clit; Castle began to stroke at her. He watched her the best he could with the position they were in, and could just see her face, the pleasure masking it as she clutched at his arm tightly. He moved down to her shoulder, brushing his lips across it before nibbling a little here and there as she let him know her pleasure vocally. Shuddering at the sound of her moans and gasps, he rubbed a little harder in between her legs before he suddenly reached up, grabbing her hand that had been holding his arm. "Together," he whispered against the back of her ear. As he guided her fingers, he nipped at the shell of her ear, not surprised to get a hard forward jerk as a reaction. He used his free hand to grasp her hip, feeling her moving against him hard. He made her move harder then, and when he trailed his lips over her neck, he could taste the slight sheen of sweat that was spreading over her skin. "I love you," he whispered as he pressed his head against hers.

"I love you… Castle, please!" Beckett said, unaware that she was begging him with her tone. But she was so far over the edge she'd been trying to make him be where she was at that moment. Luckily he was, and as she cried out her ecstasy she felt him with her, almost grasping her body for dear life as they didn't stop moving with one another until they seemed to just freeze. She felt a little like she was boneless, as Castle helped her lay on her back before he pressed up close against her side, holding her in his arms. "You made up for it," she said simply when she felt she could talk again.

"Good," Castle said. "But I didn't do that to tease you; I just needed you that badly I couldn't wait." He smiled when she rolled her eyes, and he leaned down, meeting her lips for a slow, sensuous kiss. When they parted he said, "Though, you know if you want to pay me back you can go ahead and do that."

"Of course," Beckett said, shaking her head. But after they'd laid in silence a few more minutes, she was getting up. "No, you can stay there," she said quickly to his starting to get up. Pushing on his shoulder she leaned down and kissed him, feeling his fingers tangle through her hair before he pulled he back a little. "You have your reward, now it's time for mine," she said with a smile as he kissed at her jaw.

"I don't know, it didn't seem like a big enough reward," Castle murmured, unwilling to let her go.

"For winning a game of chess?" Beckett said wryly.

"That and being an awesome fian-ow!" Castle said, laughing as she pinched his side hard, making him lay down. "You know, if I wasn't around to-"

"I can manage that on my own Castle," Beckett said, having straddled him as he'd spoke.

"Can I watch?" Castle asked immediately and readily.

"Not now, maybe tomorrow," Beckett said. "But for now…"

"Yeah, you're in… a pretty good position," Castle said, looking down at where her legs were gripping his sides. "Just, a few more inches back…" he said before she slapped at his hand. "Damn it, why not?"

"Because you had your reasons for doing what you did," Beckett said simply. "Now I have mine. Come here." She wasn't surprised when he looked startled at the rough commanding tone of her voice, and smiled as he rushed to sit up. Once he had, she led him to her breasts, letting him take one with his mouth. She allowed herself a little time to enjoy his lips around her nipple, sucking slowly at it as she stroked the back of his head. When she felt enough time had passed she leaned down and whispered into his ear, "I just got an idea."

As she told him, Castle pulled back so he could look at her saying, "You want to do that?"

"What, will anyone see us?" Beckett asked.

"I… no, but there might be people walking on the beach," Castle pointed out to her. "We could do it with the lights off."

"Okay," Beckett said easily. She smiled when he looked at her in surprise and said, "I'm not kidding. Come on." She slid off him and the bed before slipping her feet into her heels from earlier that night, turning as he turned off the lights. When he reached her she wrapped her arms around him tightly and kissed him passionately as he responded in time. Taking his hand, she pulled him to the windows closest to the bed and covered his right hand that was on her hip. Leaning over a little as he stood behind her she sucked in a deep breath of air as he entered her slowly, closing her eyes tightly until he had stopped.

"Are you okay?" Castle asked, sliding his hand up to cover her abdomen and hold her there. At her nod he thrust against her once, groaning as she let out a heavy moan, and with that he set up a pace before she suddenly spoke; her words quickly grabbing his attention.

"I need to you to fuck me Rick," Beckett groaned heavily as his pace was nowhere near enough for her. She was relieved when he started to move faster right away, and she soon felt his lips on the back of her right shoulder, kissing her here and there. She bit at her lower lip a few times; in time with each of his kisses; before he was sliding his hands up against her stomach to her breasts. Her own hands were clutching at the window in front of her, not really able to hold onto anything, just using what she could for support as she tried to quickly follow him when he changed the angle of his hips. It was just enough to make her stop abruptly, and she was surprised when he quickly moved away from her.

"I was close?" Castle asked, panting a little from his exertions as he helped her almost stumble as he was to the bed.

"Close? You were right at it," Beckett breathed out as she watched his lips drift over the top of her foot once he'd taken off her heel. She shivered as he did the exact same with her other bare foot, brushing his lips over her toes before she pulled on his arms. She wasn't really sure how to explain how they got there, but she was on top of him again, though that time she didn't stop him as they began to move together, with her guiding him back to their previous rhythm before they'd moved to the bed. When he began to move her a little awkwardly by the waist she looked at him and asked, "Wh-What are you doing?"

"Let me…" Castle started to say before he tried to get her off of him. When she slapped at his hands he tried to do the same thing again, but she suddenly clenched herself around him tightly, and he was jerking forward, grabbing onto her as tightly as he could. "I want to-" he started to say in a kind of groan as he was feeling a great deal of pleasure moving inside of her.

Kissing him roughly, Beckett could feel her lips starting to swell up against Castle's as their tongues worked together until they needed to breathe. "You don't have to," she said simply.

"I have to," Castle said as he trailed his lips slowly down the side of her neck. He was a little taken aback when she stopped moving then, and he hurried to help her onto her hands and knees. "I haven't done it in a while," he said for extra explanation as he stroked her back.

"The other, uh!" Beckett started to say before he cut her off by entering her yet again. "The other night. Castle if you stop again," she warned him. But she wasn't able to say what she would do to him, as he started to move, fulfilling her request from when they'd been at the windows. She was quick to move with him, and they were soon at the same pace, their hips slapping audibly in the room together. She felt his hands on her arms, and she slid down to her elbows before he made his next thrust and she was suddenly rigid on the bed.

Quickly pulling back, Castle knew he'd found what he was seeking, and changed his angle just enough to render his fiancée tense again. He wasn't being unaffected either, as her reaction seemed to be through her whole body, especially where she was surrounding him. He leaned over enough so he could kiss her back, whatever he could reach, feeling her moans through her skin. He moved a few more times, and he could see her hands holding the sheet under her so tightly her knuckles were white.

Crying out; unsure if she was actually screaming; Beckett pressed her cheek to the cool, crisp linen, the fire of her skin only going out at that point before becoming hot as well. She felt completely dazed and wasn't sure how long she was like that, only aware of when Castle joined her as he groaned her name long and loudly against her shoulder. She was brought to a second climax very shortly after that, and knew that she must have passed out, as her body was literally thrumming with ecstasy. But she'd never be able to say how long she was out; only knowing her fiancé was coming down from his orgasm as her body seemed to go limp. She felt his hands on her, helping her lay on her back; and if she'd felt boneless before, it was nothing compared to that moment. "So… I think you found it," she said, her hand a little weak caressing his cheek as he looked down at her.

"Good thing, would have been really mad if I hadn't," Castle said before he laid down, pressing his cheek above her breasts.

"So you've had your… prize or reward," Beckett said teasingly as she stroked his hair, feeling a lot stronger. "And I've had mine which was a surprise."

"You want to stop?" Castle asked as he raised his head then and went closer to her.

"Oh not by a long shot," Beckett said, shaking her head. She reached in between them and ran her fingertips over his chest, watching his skin quiver in reaction to her touch. "I don't think you're ready to either," she commented as he suddenly got on top of her.

"Not really," Castle said simply before they kissed each other hungrily. It was a flurry of quick caresses and deliberate touches to arouse one another before he was sliding inside of her for a third time, groaning heavily. He had the same reaction every time; whether or not he expressed it vocally; and had to wonder if there was a chance he'd ever get used to her or get tired of her. But as they began to make love to each other, he knew it'd take a very long time for that to happen; if it ever did.

Beckett wasn't sure that time how long they took, because Castle was working over her upper body, taking her lips and touching her so many different ways she wasn't sure how she wasn't numb to each new brush of his skin against hers. But finally they climaxed very close in time to each other, and a while after were lying back on the bed, breathing heavily as they regained their strength. She was laying on his outstretched arm as their left hands held each other, and she became a little drowsy before he spoke, making her raise her head slightly.

"So was it worth it to come here?" Castle asked.

Smiling, Beckett nodded and said, "Especially since we have Julia."

"That's a great point," Castle murmured, turning his head to press a kiss to the side of her head. He reached over to her with his free hand suddenly, starting to stoke from just below in between her breasts to her abdomen. He could hear her breathing becoming deeper, and he licked his lower lip, slightly shocked that he could feel himself growing aroused yet again.

"Remember what I said before?" Beckett asked. She was surprised when Castle didn't answer, and instead rolled onto her before she started to laugh. He was tickling her sides, and she tried to grab his wrists to get him to stop before he took her wrists.

Placing her hands above her head, Castle watched her closely and leaned down to brush a kiss across her lips before he got up. He knew his fiancée was watching him as he went to the fireplace, turning the flames on very low since it wasn't so much the heat he wanted, but the muted light. The light on his nightstand he'd turned back on as they'd gone from windows to bed, so everything was darker than they were used to.

"Wait," Beckett said as he went to her nightstand. "This is enough now."

"Are you sure?" Castle asked though he was starting to climb up on the mattress with her as he'd spoken.

"Very sure," Beckett said, meeting his lips for a deep kiss before they slowly parted. Sighing she said, "I worry this might get monotonous for you."

"I was thinking that earlier, but in a different context," Castle said before he explained what he'd been thinking as they'd been making love earlier. "Hard to be the same when we're not staying the exact same every single time. It's hard to get used to you that way because you feel different every time."

"We tend to use the same positions," Beckett said. She then paused and asked, "Is this why you've been so avid about trying to find my g-spot?"

"I read online about it and… yeah, pretty much," Castle started to say before he trailed off and decided to just answer her directly.

"Well, your research has paid off immensely," Beckett said, lying back with her arms raised above her head as he watched her.

"Yes," Castle said simply, staring into her eyes as he went to her.

"What?" Beckett asked, knowing it wasn't an agreement to what she'd said.

"That you and I can keep up with one another," Castle replied before he kissed her hard. He kept it deep, and sank his tongue into her mouth before drawing her back into his. When they parted to breathe he whispered into her ear, "There is one thing though."

"And that's what exactly?" Beckett asked.  
"I don't think my technique is exactly right," Castle said, waiting a little impatiently for her reaction.

"No, it's not," Beckett said, taking his hand and kissing his fingertips before brushing hers across his lips. "Practice makes perfect you know they always say."

"They do, and I'm ecstatic that they do," Castle said before he descended her body, trailing his lips until he reached the apex of her legs.

The two spent a little more time together, exploring what they could do inside the room until they were too exhausted to do much else than collapse on the bed. They exchanged a passionate kiss before a breathlessly whispered I love you to one another that was almost drowned out by the sound of the ocean outside the windows they'd been at one more time before then. They fell asleep with Beckett's back pressed against Castle's chest, everything fading so much so that even the sounds of the waves rolling and breaking on shore outside never reached them as they took the chance of the peace and quiet of a deep, sated sleep with each other.


	2. Down Upon Her Head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter, and for subsequent chapters until I mention otherwise are lyrics from the song Maxwell's Silver Hammer by The Beatles, from their album Abbey Road.

Opening the door, the young woman smiled and said, "You must be Bob."

"I am, Kendra?" the man asked on the other side.

"Yes, please, come in," the woman said, stepping aside for him.

"I have to thank you for letting me pick you up, I was lucky to get out of my class when I did," the man said.

"It's not a problem, so how long have you been doing your internship at Manhattan General?" the woman asked.

"About a year," the man said simply.

"Just wondering, since I've never seen you around before," the woman said with a slight smile. "So what are we doing tonight? Or is it a surprise?"

Breathing out with a slight laugh, the young man said as he held out two little pieces of paper, "I got us two tickets to the action movie that opened last Friday. And after, since you know the area around the theater I'm guessing; since it's right down the street; you can pick where we eat."

"Great, just let me get my purse," the woman said. She turned and said, "Is it cold outside? I was surprised seeing you wearing a jacket since it's pretty warm and-" Before she could finish her sentence, she was cut off by the sound of the man running after her before she felt a sharp blow to the back of her head, pain exploding into pinpricks of light that nearly blinded her. She staggered, and feeling the blood as it ran down her back she tried to walk to her phone at the table next to the door to her room.

Before she could get far enough, there was the same explosion of pain as she was hit again. She her vision swam with light and she tried to stagger away without any luck. A third and fourth time, and she was on the floor, blood pouring through her black hair. She reached out with her right hand; only able to move that side of her body; and tried to touch the doorway to her bedroom, only to have her hand slide against the white paint to the floor uselessly.

As the dark began to swallow her in its grasp, she heard running coming up to her and the yell of, "What did you do? Jerry, what the hell have you done!" as the bars of a familiar song being hummed followed the sound of blood pooling along the floor as it slid away from her.


	3. In School Again

"Finish your milk sweetheart, we need to go," Castle was saying to Julia as they sat at the café table. "Or else you'll be late."

"It's not fair," the little girl said stubbornly as she put down the bottle of milk her mother and Castle had bought for her to have with their breakfast. "You don't have to work so why do I have to go to school?"

"We told you already," Beckett said, having been approaching the table behind Julia and hearing her. "This is your last week of school, so I want you to finish kindergarten."

"Are you gonna come when I graduate?" Julia asked before her mother wiped her mouth clean of crumbs.

"We are, and so will my mom," Castle said. "I just wish Alexis could come," he sighed.

"She's got her last final that day you two," Beckett said to both her fiancé and their daughter. "But I promise you she'll be back. This is home remember."

"Yeah, with us," Julia said, patting Castle's arm.

"Okay," he said with a laugh before he stood and picked up the little girl to her short cry. "I'm just hoping," he said as he and Beckett left the café they'd chosen to have breakfast at since it was down the street from Julia's school. "That she'll be here for Father's Day, it's six days away you know," he said to Julia who was watching him seriously as he carried her. "But we've never not celebrated it together, so I'm crossing my fingers she'll be here." He got no response still from his fiancée and he finally said, "Anything? Or are you just ignoring me Kate?"

"No, I just don't have anything to say," Beckett said, shaking her head as he'd jogged ahead of her and stood in front of her. She looked past him and said, "Put her down."

"Are we there already?" Julia asked in dismay, recognizing the park they were across the street from.

"We are, but remember we're going to your dance class," Castle said as he hugged her tightly. "And we'll get to watch you for a little."

"I can't wait," Julia said with a wide smile on her face. She then frowned and asked, "What are you going to do?"

"We need to see sweetie," Beckett answered, not surprised their daughter was wondering what she was going to do on the day she'd taken off from work.

"Will you tell me?" Julia asked.

"Definitely," Castle said, though glancing at his fiancée he had the idea there would be an activity or two they wouldn't really be able to share. At least he was hoping for that as he and Julia shared a kiss and he set her down. "Love you Julia, have a great day," he told the little girl, who smiled and nodded in return. "I'll see you," he told Beckett.

Nodding, she took their daughter's hand and they headed down the street saying, "Friday I promise he can take you, it's been a while since he's come with us."

"For my last day of kindergarten?" Julia asked. When her mother nodded she smiled and said, "I'm glad I don't have to go to first grade right away."

"Are you scared?" Beckett asked as they approached the gates to her school.

"Little bit, but I want to learn more," Julia said. "Do they teach about the stars in first grade?"

"I don't think so, but we can learn about astronomy with Castle during the summer once you're off," Beckett said, not surprised the little girl had taken to it as quickly as she had.

"But do you have time? The wedding?" Julia asked, whispering the last two words as softly as she could.

"We'll make sure there is time," Beckett assured her.

"Kay, I wish you didn't have to work Mommy. In the summer," Julia said.

"I know, but I'll take some days off when I can," Beckett replied. "For now let's get you to class." Inside the elementary school building she led the way to Julia's room and once inside went directly to the teacher.

"Ms. Beckett good morning, and the same to you Julia," Mrs. Clayton said to them with a smile. "Anything I can help you with?"

"I know it's her turn to bring the book for the week," Beckett said, helping Julia take off her backpack. "And she wanted to bring this, but I wasn't sure you could really read a travel guide," she said as her daughter held up the travel guide to Spain that Castle had given her the month before.

"It's really good and there are pictures," Julia said pleadingly as her teacher took the book and flipped through the pages.

"I think this will be fine," Mrs. Clayton said, scanning a description of a city. "But only because it's the last week okay?"

"Kay, thank you," Julia said happily.

"I'm wondering now if I can talk to you for a moment," the teacher said to Beckett.  
"Sweetie, Celia is here, go play with her and before I go I'll come and say goodbye," she said before Julia nodded, took her book and hurried to her friend. "Is anything wrong?"

"No, one of the activities today was to make a Father's Day gift," Mrs. Clayton said. "She'll be making a frame for her grandfather, which I'm guessing she told you…" When Beckett nodded she then said, "I'm wondering though if I should have her make something for your fiancé," lowering her voice as there were still parents coming in with their kids. She was already aware of Castle and Beckett's engagement; having guessed at seeing the way the two were together with Julia and eventually asking Beckett about it.

"That would be great actually," Beckett said. "I'm not sure though how you'll explain it."

"I'll think of something," Mrs. Clayton said. "And about that book-"

"There are some things I haven't read to Julia, but I'm just hoping they won't be bored with it," Beckett said.

"The pictures will more than make up for it, excuse me," the teacher said, going over to two boys who were fighting over some crayons.

Walking to the other side of the classroom where Julia was sitting at a low table with Celia, Beckett had to smile when she saw the two were looking through the book together. "Julia," she said, getting her attention.

"Do you have to go?" the little girl asked, jumping up from her seat.

"I do, it's almost time for the bell to ring," Beckett said, picking her up. They hugged each other tightly and she pressed her lips to Julia's temple saying, "Have fun today, and don't mention we're going to Spain with Castle one day okay?"

"I won't," Julia said with a smile. "But I can't wait for you to see my class Mommy."

"I know, neither can I," Beckett said. "I love you sweetie."

"Love you Mommy," Julia said before she was put back down. She waited until her mother had left, and then hurried back to her friend who was pointing to a picture of some horses grazing under a tree.

Outside the school gate, Beckett felt her phone shaking, and pulled it out to see she had a text. Reading it, she frowned but went to the curb, hailing a cab before giving the driver the address that had been the text message. As the taxi was heading down the street, she texted back, typing, _Why am I going here?_ The reply came back and she shook her head when it just said, _You'll see once you get here, I'm at 2210, 22nd floor_. At the building, she paid the driver and walked up to the doorman, wondering how she was going to get in, when he let her inside. "Thank you," she said in slight confusion.

"Was told to watch for a woman with a dark blue shirt, I'm guessing you answer to Beckett, ma'am?" the man said.

"Yes," she replied before nodding to him as she walked inside. Heading to the elevators she was soon at the twenty-second floor, the top of the building. She didn't really need to search for the apartment; the number was one of only five doors on the floor. Knocking on the one to 2210, she was a little surprised when her fiancé opened the door. "Why are we here?" she asked as he ushered her inside.

"Because I wanted you to see this apartment," Castle said simply as he took her purse.

"It's beautiful, but whose is it?" Beckett said, amazed at how big the living room was.

"Look at the view first," Castle said, putting his hand on her back and leading her to the windows that were the west wall of the room.

"It's amazing," Beckett said, able to see Central Park. "But again Castle, whose apartment is this and why are we here?"

"This belongs to my friends Logan and Gene, they live here with their son, but he's in college now, so it's just them," Castle began, smiling as he loved seeing the mix of curiosity and impatience in her eyes. "So they want to move and settle down in DC; where their son is going to college, and where most of their family is too."

"Okay," Beckett said, realizing from that why they were there. "So we're… house hunters now?"

"Just this place," Castle said. "They plan to move to DC in September, before their son's second year starts. I asked; if you liked it; if we could buy it from them and they said sure."

"It's in a nice area," Beckett said, a little hesitant but knowing she needed to be serious. "And this living room is huge, very bright… Julia could practice piano here if we got one."

"I was thinking that too," Castle said. "And it's got four bedrooms, so my mom and Alexis will have a place to sleep if they visit. Want to walk through it?"

"I'd love to," Beckett said, turning from the windows and taking her fiancé's hand.

"I'm seeing this as Mother's room," Castle said when they reached the first one. He watched Beckett's reaction, smiling at her shocked expression. "I know, the rooms here are really big."

"That makes sense though; there are only five apartments on this floor, so they can be huge. I'm guessing the master is upstairs?" Beckett said as they walked to the next room.

"We'll get to that," Castle said simply. "This would definitely be Alexis'," he said as they looked around; that room having windows to the east that looked at the skyline of the city.

"This one for Julia?" Beckett asked when they got to the last room. She could see it had been the son's room, as there were various baseball and soccer trophies and memorabilia around. "This would be really nice though, for her. We could put a mirror on that wall, put in a longer _barre_ …"

"Would she still use that for Ballroom and Latin?" Castle asked, following her to see the view; the same as the living room since it was facing west as well.

"She would, and the mirror she would too of course," Beckett said, smiling as she glanced at the bathroom. "This is in their son's room?" she asked him in surprise since there was a clawfoot tub.

"They're both designers," Castle explained. "And they love repurposing antiques. Come on, I have to show you the kitchen."

"And the last bedroom?" Beckett asked with a smile as he took her hand again. "Or we'll get to that again." Shaking her head as her smile didn't leave her lips, she followed him past a dining room saying, "We could have the boys and Lanie over here and still have room for all six of us."

"I know, and have a great view at the same time," Castle commented.

"I can see why you're so eager about the kitchen, but you have been here before haven't you?" Beckett asked, taking in the large room with its very much state of the art appliances.

"I have," Castle said. "But it would be fun to cook for Thanksgiving here," he commented as he watched her go to the window above the sink with the same view as the living room.

"And Christmas?" Beckett asked, walking back to him.

"I figured those we can celebrate in the Hamptons," Castle said simply. "If you agree of course."

"I'll agree, but let's not talk about this place as if we're going to buy it," Beckett said as he led her to the staircase that was by the door.

"You're right, but it's very hard not to," Castle said simply as they reached the top of the stairs and stepped inside. He watched his fiancée closely to see her reaction, not surprised to see the shock on her face as she took in the room. It was a bit bigger than the bedrooms downstairs, with floor to ceiling windows along the western wall. "Any words of approval? Disapproval?" he asked as he followed her to look at the bathroom before she paused in the doorway.

"It's great," Beckett said, turning to him with a smile. "But, we need to discuss this seriously Castle. The cost of rent, the distance from Julia's school, the-"

"We have until July," he said, interrupting her. "They need to know by then if we really want the apartment."

"That's only a month away," Beckett sighed.

"A month and a half actually, they were here before you arrived and I asked if we could have that long, they agreed," Castle said.

"Okay, then we'll see how things are at the end of next month," Beckett said. "We'll have an idea by then."

Nodding, as they were both thinking of the election he knew, Castle took her hand and led her down to the door saying, "Why don't we head out to the Farmer's Market on the other side of the park and I'll get us a few things for lunch?"

"Fine with me, I told you I wanted to see what we could do today," Beckett said. "Though you know, coming here made me think of something we really should do back at your place," she said as they left the apartment.

* * *

"Is that it?" Castle was asking as he handed a piece of paper to Beckett while they were sitting on the couch in his living room.

"For now, and we managed to get the list to under thirty," she replied, nodding as her eyes went down the names rapidly.

"You really think we should invite Gates?" Castle asked.

"It would be an insult to her if I didn't," Beckett replied. "But I get the feeling she'd just see it as a courtesy invite."

"Well, if she was a little more… understanding of me…" Castle said before he trailed off and shook his head. "I don't why I bother, at this point I know she won't understand unless it's the fact that I realize I'm a writer and come back to my books instead of trailing you and the boys."

"I'll agree with you on that," Beckett said, smiling slightly as she handed him the list. Looking at her watch as he went into the kitchen she said, "So we're set?"

"We are, I don't have any problems with the names you put in," Castle said. "One thing that worries me is how little of our family we're going to have as guests."

"Well, your mom's brother has passed away and he and his wife never had kids," Beckett said, going to sit on the other side of the counter where he was getting out items to make lunch. "But we did invite his wife, your Aunt Rho, so she'll be there. And both my parents were only children, so there's not really anyone else I can invite except for my dad."

"You're sure there's no one you know from Ireland…" Castle began as he started to wash the vegetables he'd taken out of the fridge.

"What?" Beckett asked as he didn't continue.

"Can you go to the bag behind my desk, take the books out of there," Castle said. "One of them is for you," he said when she gave him a look as his tone wasn't really asking her to do that.

"Any reason why you bought me a book?" Beckett asked as she walked over to his office. She pulled out some hardback books, smiling as she saw one from a recent author; a woman she knew her fiancé saw as a rival though she thought he was being paranoid. "Really Castle, Jessie Greaves?"

"I had to check out the competition," Castle said. "And better I buy it than check it out. I'm wondering though, will you read it first?" He didn't get an immediate response, and he looked up from chopping carrots to see she was walking to him. "So you found it," he said, a little anxious and slightly eager at the same time as he watched her closely as she sat at a chair again.

"Is this another promise?" Beckett asked as she flipped open the pages of the book; a travel guide of Ireland.

"More so than Spain, but I was thinking we should combine the two countries," Castle said, relieved when she smiled at him before looking down at the book again.

"Where was it that you stayed when you went?" Beckett asked.

"I started in Dublin, and then went to Donegal," Castle replied, going back to preparing the meal. "There isn't much on the latter."

"I've heard of the Burren," Beckett said suddenly, a picture getting her attention. "My dad's family was from around here… I couldn't tell you where though. I'll have to ask him about any family. And to your question you asked about my family. No, I don't know anyone else around here."

"What about your grandparents? The four of them must have had families who had kids," Castle said.

"If they did, they've moved elsewhere in the country because I never knew of any second cousins or further than that," Beckett said, smiling a little. "It's just my dad and I."

"Julia," Castle reminded her quickly.

"And Julia," Beckett said, looking up from the book. "Sorry, I was looking at this."

"The food, it can be pretty good, but I would advise against blood pudding," Castle said since she was looking at the pages on the cuisine. "Unless you're feeling daring."

"I'll pass," Beckett said. "Julia's going to be ecstatic to find out we'll be going here too."

"And she might want to take that book with her to school tomorrow," Castle pointed out to her as he got a wok onto the stove and began to throw together some chow mein.

"Oh no, the Spain book is heavy enough," Beckett said. She walked around to him then, leaning against the counter and watched him before he spoke.

"Anything else?" Castle asked.

"Not really, I'm just thinking about that apartment," Beckett said honestly.

"I don't blame you," Castle replied. "Are you torn about it too though?"

"Pretty much," Beckett said. "I'm thinking maybe we should make a list of the pros and cons of the place. But don't put too much emphasis on the size of the rooms or the kitchen okay?"

"Fine with me," Castle said, adding some more vegetables before pouring some water into the wok. He felt her hand on his arm then and turned to her before she kissed him deeply. But it was very gentle, and he dropped the metal spoon he'd been using to stir against the side of the wok with a metallic clunk before wrapping his arms around her.

In part a thank you for the book and also just because she wanted to kiss him, Beckett didn't really want to pull away, but she had to before lunch burned because of her. She watched him finish the noodles before he was dishing them out and she commented, "That's a lot of chow mein. I'm assuming the rest is for dinner?"

"Invite your dad, we'll have Chinese," Castle said as he followed her to the table. He grabbed some white wine and poured out glasses for them before they sat down to eat.

"You're going to cook again?" Beckett asked.

"Actually, I should have asked first, sorry," Castle said, saying the apology in a quick tone. "Do you want Chinese?"

"Yes, and I'm guessing you're ordering Dim Sum?" Beckett said.

"As always," Castle said simply. "The list," he said after they'd eaten their first bites.

After he'd gotten a sheet of paper and a pen, the two discussed the pros and cons of the apartment, and carried that conversation through to the point when they'd finished. They stopped talking quickly when they heard the door opening and Castle took the paper to his office.

"Good afternoon you two, I'm guessing you got my granddaughter to school alright?" Martha asked as she stepped inside and saw her son in the doorway.

"She got there fine, not wanting to go, as usual," Beckett said.

"There's chow mein Mother," Castle said, taking his dish and following his fiancée to the sink.

"Oh no, I only came to grab a scarf I had forgotten," Martha said, heading up the stairs. "Kiki and Nora are waiting for me at the Plaza for our lunch."

"Forgot about that," Castle said as Beckett had started to wash the dishes. "Where's your ring?" he asked, realizing he hadn't put it back on once they'd come back.

"In my pocket, when I'm done," she replied simply.

"Alright, I'm off again, I hope you two enjoy Julia's dance class, tell her I will go for sure tomorrow," Martha said, coming back down.

"We will," Beckett said. "And that would help because I'm sure we'll catch a case tomorrow."

After they'd said goodbye to his mother, Castle turned to his fiancée when he saw the look on her face, which made him pause in starting to step to her. "What is it?" he asked.

"It's the list," Beckett said. "Did we have anything else to add or was that it?"

"No, that was it, and it was even," Castle said, taking her hand and leading her over to his office. He got the piece of paper and nodded saying, "Even. So, we're kind of at an impasse."

Breathing out slightly Beckett watched as he quickly took her ring she handed him, slipping it on her finger and said, "We still have time, and once the election is over we'll know."

"Right, I'll keep this here, far out of sight of anyone else…" Castle said absently as he set the list in a folder in a lower drawer. With that done he stood back up, nearly jumping back as he realized his fiancée was there to meet him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. He quickly recovered from the surprise and wrapped his tightly around her, holding her close as he responded to her kiss. He pulled back suddenly, and took her with him by the waist into his room. Though they were alone, he still locked the doors since he didn't want to risk it. When he turned back, he went to the bed and knelt in front of his fiancée.

Smiling slightly, Beckett let go of her boots and watched as he pulled them off of her quickly. She drew him back up to her then, and they stood together, becoming frantic as they tugged at each other's clothes. The week before she'd had a case; Castle not working with her as he'd caught a summer cold from Julia, she herself getting it briefly Friday through to Sunday; it was why she'd taken that day off, to recover fully. And she'd also had to testify at a trial for a previous case the week before, leaving her too exhausted to do much more at night besides fall asleep. She'd been growing more and more frustrated but managed to keep it under the surface until that point. She realized that he was feeling the same, as Castle's hands were almost tearing her buttons out of her blouse. "I have to wonder," she whispered as the shirt floated to the floor from her arms. "How you didn't go crazy before this."

"Because I was sick," Castle said simply as they had a little bit of a struggle once she'd gotten his shirt off. But they were finally naked together, and he took her to the bed, where he waited for her to get on top first before he followed. He sat on his knees with her, and wrapped his arms around her before they kissed one another deeply. He was having a hard time controlling himself, straining not to rush into things when they'd had so little time to prepare; he wanted her to be ready for him because he knew they were not going to be gentle with one another.

Beckett was going to move to straddle his lap when he suddenly laid her down and she looked at him a little questioningly, as he'd been kissing her and touching her very roughly. "You-" she started to say.

"I'll go back, I promise," Castle responded, knowing she was a little irked at his move. He nearly shuddered when he realized why she hadn't wanted to be, so he was serious in his promise. But he leaned down then and kissed her deeply, feeling her groan against his lips in response since at the same time his right hand was running down the front of her body. He didn't let himself linger anywhere though, moving his hand away as they parted to breathe. Nuzzling her lips with his, he then slid in a straight line to the hollow of her throat. There he stopped, pressing quick, gentle kisses to it until he felt her nails digging a little into his back. He moved further, and proceeded to move his lips along her breasts, hearing her pleasure easily as she held onto him harder in response.

Looking on, Beckett wasn't too surprised to see that he was descending further, but what did take her aback was the fact that everything he was doing was delaying his own pleasure. She knew that he enjoyed pleasuring her, exploring her body, but it wasn't the same for him doing that before as when they were making love. She tried to stop him as he pressed a few kisses to her abdomen, and breathed out slightly in relief as he pulled away before going any lower.

"I don't know why you don't want me to continue," Castle said as he moved with her so they were on their knees again.

"I have my reasons," Beckett said simply before they were kissing again. As they were doing that, she was able to straddle him that time, and lowered herself before he entered her. She breathed out, breaking off the kiss, as he slid inside of her, and before she could forget, she pushed gently on his chest until he was lying down. She could have smiled at his surprise, but couldn't wait anymore to try and delay things, she needed him that second. Rocking back and forth once, a little slowly, she then set off getting to a much faster pace. Her suspicions about her fiancé's arousal were confirmed as he easily matched her, and she reached down to his hands on her hips as she'd proceeded to quickly bounce up and down on him.

Watching, Castle wasn't too surprised when she took his hands to entwine their fingers together. He lowered them simultaneously and then moved to sit up though he hadn't spent a long period lying down. When she threw her arms around him he realized she didn't mind the change, and he kissed her ardently as she responded in turn very quickly. He held onto the small of her back with one hand as the other spanned the back of her head before sliding down her hair, fingers tangling in her locks. They parted with a hard gasp eventually, and he went a little crazy, kissing around her neck and nipping at it hungrily before she pulled him back up to her. He was a little irritated at that; since he knew she was worried he'd leave a mark; so as a kind of payback and also just because he wanted to; he flipped her around onto her back, taking her right leg and holding it up as he put his legs into an almost lunging position.

Crying out as his first thrust into her was more of a ramming motion, and the fact he was deep at the same time was making Beckett literally dizzy. She wrapped her other leg around his waist, moving with him in a rhythm so similar to his it was almost the same. The position of his body and the angle of his hips were making him strike directly against her clit, and every thrust into her was a kind of explosion that she wasn't sure she'd be able to hold herself away from hurtling over the edge of. She struggled a little with herself, but after a while in that position he was moving them around again.

Lying back down, Castle was watching Beckett as she was trying to move as he had been before. She soon achieved it, and he got a sudden idea as he watched her thighs, the muscles obviously working to keep moving up and down roughly. Sitting up, he grabbed her, holding her close as he whispered into her ear, wondering if she'd agree to what he was requesting.

"Yes," Beckett said simply, in a kind of gasp from her exertions. She saw the momentary surprise flash across Castle's face at that, not too surprised it changed rapidly to excitement. She stopped moving then, and got off him as he helped her lay on her back again. "Any place you got this?" she asked as he picked up both her legs, draping them over his right shoulder so her knees were bent.

"I can't remember," Castle said simply before he entered her. He held his breath without knowing it, and when he let it out he nearly jumped at the heavy groan that escaped with it at the same time. But he knew why that had joined his breathing, with the way she was positioned, she was incredibly tight, and not exactly straight since her legs were tilted to one side. He didn't waste much time in starting to thrust after that, and when she started to move in turn he was surprised he wasn't passing out as everything he was feeling had double the intensity. He was enjoying it, except for one problem; she was too far away from him to do much else besides kiss at what he could reach of her right leg. He tried to stay that way as long as possible, but eventually gave up, and they were very swiftly sitting up on their knees in the middle of the bed, with her riding him firmly, his hands pressing directly on the small of her back as they kissed.

A little lost as Castle's lips were around her entire upper body once they had parted, Beckett ran her hand over the back of his head, making him look into her eyes. She was breathing roughly; as he was since they were being very rough with one another still; and she cupped his cheek, running her thumb along his swollen lower lip. "I-" she started to say before his blue eyes seemed to darken right in front of her and he pulled her to him to close the gap between their lips. Since they had been moving together for so long, their breath was short, as was that kiss, and when they parted, she suddenly slowed down.

"Ah… Kate," Castle hissed immediately in response to her change. He held onto her hips with both hands, more to try and control himself, but he also took the chance to hold her tighter against him as she was going so much slower. "Are you torturing me?"

"No," Beckett said before she brushed her lips gently across his. She wasn't surprised when he made that a deeper kiss, but finally she was able to pull away from him. "I just want… not yet."

"This hasn't been a few… few s-seconds," Castle said, stammering on the s as she'd sped up again. "It's been long enough, I'm going to finish before you," he warned her with a groan. He hissed a second time, as his fiancée had suddenly stopped moving completely. "What-"

Cutting him off with a kiss, Beckett didn't linger so she could tell him, "Then lay me down on this bed and fuck me Rick, until we go together." She wasn't surprised to see the quick flash of desire in his eyes again at her words, and she prepared herself as he did exactly as she'd suggested. He literally threw her onto the bed once he had the chance, and she flung her arms around him as tightly as she could when he was once again slamming inside her body. Wrapping one leg around his waist; as high above it as she could; and the other going around his thighs, she wondered how long it would take them to finally stop. It was only a short amount of time; though she had no idea how long exactly; and she was clinging to him so tightly her nails were digging large welts into his shoulders as she cried out his name, wondering if it was screaming though she couldn't tell. She felt him shaking against her, and slid one hand to the back of his head as his face pressed against her neck, her name being yelled against her skin as his lips brushed along her skin, making her tremble with the added pleasure from it.

Breathing roughly as they finally stopped, Castle was quiet until he felt he had regained his self awareness, nearly knocked out by her. Taking a deep breath, he pulled back to raise his head, seeing she had her eyes closed. "Asleep?" he whispered.

"No, it's only…" Beckett began, looking at his alarm. "Only one fifty-six. So I'm guessing you enjoyed that."

"Pretty much," Castle said, knowing that wasn't a serious question, more her teasing him on the strength of his orgasm though he was well aware they'd matched each other on their climaxes. He pulled away from her, a sigh of disappointment leaving him then, and he lay next to her asking, "You're okay?"

"I'm surprised that wasn't asked until after… or actually I'm not surprised," Beckett said. "No, I'm fine, the cold is gone, I told you."

Nodding, Castle fell silent then, not taken aback when she did the same, but as he glanced over at his fiancée every once in a while he wondered why she seemed to be looking like she was hesitating about something. "What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing, just…" Beckett said, before she suddenly sat up next to him. She smiled when he was quick to follow, leaning back against the headboard since their pillows had gone off the bed at some point. She then said seriously, "Looking at that apartment made me realize something. We are getting closer to the wedding and since last month I've wanted to change something about it."

"Don't tell me you don't want to have it now," Castle said, reaching over to place his hand on her hip, not realizing he was grabbing at her a little tightly in his concern that was the case.

"Really? We just did that and you think I don't want to make things official between us," Beckett said with a smile. She shook her head and said, "No, I still want to get married to you Castle. I'm just wondering… what if we had the wedding at the Hamptons?"

"Wow, I thought I was going to hold that in until it exploded out of me," Castle said, leaning back against the headboard, a tone of relief in his voice. "I was thinking about that too when we were there for Memorial Day. I'm assuming that's when you got the idea?" When his fiancée nodded he pulled her to him and said, "I thought it would work better than here. I mean, it would have been nice to have the wedding here, a lot of memories. But I thought; the beach house has more room and there's the fact we can get married… down by the water."

As that last comment was more of a question, Beckett was smiling widely before she kissed him tenderly. They lingered for a little before pulling apart and she told him, "I'd like to do that, I've always wanted to."

"Great, I know someone who'll marry us out there, a judge," Castle said. "You've met her before actually."

Remembering who he was talking about, Beckett took a moment to recall the name, and said, "Lydia Carpenter?"

"That's her, she's performed a number of marriages in town, one of them actually for our friends," Castle said.

"Rebecca and David's, is she used to performing them on the beach," Beckett said.

"Most of them are there, but usually the public beach," Castle replied. "I'll call her once we get a better idea of when we'll need her to perform the ceremony. We'll have to tell everyone… well, everyone who knows of course." Just as he was finishing speaking, his phone's alarm began to go off and he sighed, seeing the time.

"Speaking of telling about our change of plans," Beckett said, knowing they needed to get dressed to go get their daughter.

"She'll be ecstatic," Castle said. "She does love the beach."

"I know," Beckett said simply as she got up. She started to go to her clothes, but when she saw the state they were in; mixed with his clothes and in a pile; she went to the closet to get something else to wear. "We'll tell our parents tonight and Alexis is calling right?" she asked as she stepped out into the bedroom to dress.

"Yeah, I'm wondering though if we shouldn't mention our situation though," Castle said, buttoning his shirt.

"It's too soon to say," Beckett said. "Though you're right, Julia knows since we talked about it in front of her."

"She hasn't said a word about it to anyone has she?" Castle commented.

"No, she's good at keeping secrets," Beckett said. She went to him then as she was ready to go, and wrapped her arms around him. "We have until next month, and I want to say let's relax the rest of June, and then start worrying about what exactly our living situation will be. Okay?"

"Okay, but you know the same applies to the wedding," Castle said, holding onto her.

"Believe me, I'm aware," Beckett said, shaking her head before she kissed him gently on the lips. "Now let's go and remember she's getting her practice skirt today, so she'll be hyper."

"For her dance classes? When is she not?" Castle asked rhetorically as he and Beckett left the room behind, closing the door since they hadn't really straightened up from their afternoon spent alone together.

* * *

Spinning around, Julia watched her long black skirt bell out and stopped before she staggered dizzily into her grandfather. "Sorry," she giggled as he straightened her up. "I was watching my skirt."

"I know, you keep doing that," Jim said. "I'm guessing you had fun at your class."

"A lot," Julia said before she rushed over to her mother and Castle in the kitchen wrapping up with dinner. "Is it ready? I'm very hungry," she asked, her hands clasped together tightly.

"Almost," Castle said. "Thank you for setting the table by the way," he said as he bent over to share a kiss with her. "You did a great job."

"I told you I was big enough," Julia said.

"Before you can eat," Beckett said, turning to Julia. "You need to change."

"But Mommy," Julia said in dismay. "I want to keep wearing this."

"You can't sweetie, you're might get your skirt dirty and you need that for tomorrow," Beckett told her gently but firmly.

"No," Julia said, stamping her foot.

"Julia," Beckett said very simply, staring at her daughter.

Pouting, the little girl looked back at her mother before she bit her lip and looked down at the ground, letting her pick her up. "I won't get it dirty Mommy," she said softly as they went up the stairs.

"Was she ever like that?" Castle asked Jim.

"When she was around Julia's age, but her mother handled her a little differently, she was slightly sterner in her stares and Katie would be defiant longer," he replied.

"I think Julia's a little less stubborn than it sounds like your daughter was," Martha said, pouring herself a glass of wine.

"A lot less, but Katie definitely got that from her mother," Jim said before they heard the two coming down the stairs. "You look very nice honey," he told his granddaughter as she hurried over to him while her mother went to the kitchen.

"Thank you," Julia said simply, leaning against him. "Can we see in the suitcase now?" she pleaded.

"Your mom and Castle said after dinner," Jim said simply. "But I did give you something from it."

"And that was a wonderful gift for us," Martha said. "This Manchego cheese is divine with that Spanish wine."

"By itself it's great Dad," Beckett said as she and Castle took the plates and chow mein they'd been setting up to the table. "Now we can eat," she said, leading Julia to her chair. "And now you can tell us about your day," she said to the little girl once she was sitting.

"Tell us first about your reading time, I think your grandfather would love to know what book you took with you," Castle said.

Julia perked up at that reminder, and spoke rapidly as she told Jim all about the book and how much her classmates had loved looking at the pictures her teacher had shown them. She monopolized the conversation, since the others asked about the rest of her day at school when she finished about the book, and she was a little startled when her mother and Castle cleared the table. "Now?" she whispered to her grandfather.

"Richard, Kate, leave the dishes to soak and come see what he's brought you from Spain," Martha said, having heard the little girl easily.

"We'll finish very quickly Mother," Castle said as he started to wash the plates. "But you can give her hers now Jim."

"Right," Beckett's father replied with a nod as he went to the suitcase he'd taken with him on his annual trip to Spain. He'd switched it to the middle of May since he didn't want to be out of the country when his daughter got married, and he'd only returned the Thursday before, unable to see his daughter or granddaughter since they'd kept to Beckett's apartment to not get him or Martha sick with their summer colds. "This is something your son and Katie had me buy with money they gave me."

"Specifically for this?" Martha asked.

"It is, and we're finished, so open, please," Beckett said as she and Castle followed the others to the couch in the living room, her fiancé getting an armchair from his office.

Opening the thin paper wrapping the item, Martha breathed out slightly when she saw the embroidered black fabric and held it up, a little startled the heavily fringed shawl was so big. "It's beautiful," she said as she and Julia touched a flower together.

"An early birthday present from us both," Beckett said with a smile.

"We're hoping you wear it to Broadway, or maybe use it in class, you'll definitely look like an acting teacher with that on," Castle said before his mother came over to hug him and then Beckett, giving them her thanks.

"Or a dance teacher," Julia piped up as Martha wrapped the shawl around her arms. She ran her fingers through the fringe and said, "Mommy, can I get one?"

"I think you'll need to wait until you're older," Jim said as he handed his daughter a much bulkier package wrapped in dark green paper. He whispered to her for a moment, smiling when she looked a little startled, and then sat as Martha was helping Julia try on the shawl. "You need to be a little taller to wear those."

"Maybe I can get one when we go to Spain and wear it when I'm older," Julia said, going to her mother once the shawl was off her. "What'd you get Mommy?" she asked as she saw the package on her mother's lap.

"Come here," Beckett said simply, taking her hand and leading her to Castle's room.

"What was that?" he asked Jim as Martha murmured asked the same question.

"You'll see," Beckett's dad said simply. "In the meantime, this is for you, at Katie's request."

"Thank you," Castle said, unwrapping the sheet around a large dagger. "She's told you about my sword collection I'm assuming."

"She did, and I would have brought one from Toledo, but it'd be pretty hard to get it through," Jim replied.

"It is a nice dagger though; did you get it in Madrid?" Castle asked, taking it out from its sheath.

"That's from Carbajales I'm assuming Dad?" Beckett said from the doorway.

"It is. She's ready?" Jim asked.

"Did you get her a flamenco dress?" Martha asked.

"Not quite," Beckett said, leading Julia out. "But it's still a dancing costume."

"It's heavy," Julia said, wearing a long black skirt that was embroidered like Martha's shawl was, though more thickly. There was also an embroidered top she wore that crossed over a white blouse, even the shoes she was wearing were embroidered in the same way.

"You won't wear it that long," Beckett said as she pushed one of the embroidered gold lengths of fabric that was tied onto her ponytail back over her daughter's shoulder. "I can't believe you got one of these Dad."

"Well, last year I thought to myself she should have one too, and I called up Francisco and he took care of it," Jim said as Julia hugged him, a little stiffly because of the bulk of the embroidery. "So you like it?"

"Yeah, do you?" Julia said, turning to Castle.

"I'm in a little shock," he said, smiling widely. "Was not expecting this elaborate of a costume. But you said you thought Julia should have one too."

Reaching into his shirt pocket, Jim took out a picture, handing it to Castle.

"Oh no, Dad, you still have that?" Beckett said in a slight groan.

"And what's wrong with that?" Martha asked, having joined Julia to see what the picture was. "You look adorable Kate, how old were you here?"

"Nine right?" Beckett asked her dad. When she got a nod she said, "I had nagged him about getting me one of those skirts, because the pictures he took of the folk dancers always interested me." She shook her head though she had a slight smile on her face as she took the picture of herself in the same outfit Julia was wearing, though the embroidery was different. "I didn't wear it all that much, mainly to show off to my friends. Why I tried to dance the _jota_ for them though I didn't really know it I'm still trying to figure out now that I'm remembering when I had this."

"You were interested in dancing, just not as serious as our dancer here," Jim said.

"What's the _jota_ ," Julia said, pronouncing the word slowly.

"A folk dance of Spain," Jim replied. "When you go to Spain, and if you go to Carbajales with me, I'll introduce you to some dancers. Actually, I can show you it now; they had a dance while I was there and I recorded it with my phone for you to see."

Taking his fiancée's hand, Castle took her around the couch so they could watch; though he had the idea she'd seen it before. He watched Julia after a little, and saw she was looking at the screen intently. "I think she wants to learn it too," he commented as the little girl immediately stood up straight and tried to mimic the steps the women had been doing.

"I wish we could go now," Julia said when she'd stopped trying to dance; watching her grandfather hand Castle bottles of anise and sherry and give her mother a fan.

"And the _turrón_ is for you both," Jim said, handing a thin box on top of a larger one to Castle. "The marzipan is for Alexis, as is the second fan I got; I actually got one for you as well Martha, and you too honey," he directed to Julia last, holding three more Spanish fans. "Not sure how you want to choose."

"Well," Castle said, coming back from the kitchen to put the drinks and _turrón_ on the counter with his phone ringing. "That's Alexis, so we can show her the fans and you three can decide." He talked to his daughter on the phone as he went to his office and quickly set up Skype so they could talk to her as the others came in after him.

"Hello everyone," Alexis said, a little startled to see all of them there. "Hey Jules, what are you wearing?"

"Grandpapa brought this from Spain for me. They wear it to dance," the little girl said happily as she tried to dance again, but then settled for spinning to let her skirt bell out.

"It looks great," Alexis said with a laugh. "So I'm guessing everyone's okay now?"

"We're fine," Castle said. "Kate recovered pretty fast luckily."

"Mommy, show her your fan, you didn't show what was inside," Julia said excitedly.

"He brought a fan for all us women," Beckett said simply, opening the fan in one simple and swift shake of her wrist, the snap of it audible as she revealed the landscape on the inside.

"How did you do that?" Castle asked in shock; seeing his mother and daughter also were.

"Do that again!" Julia said in awe.

"You remember?" Jim asked. When Beckett merely smiled and snapped open the fan again he couldn't help smile himself as he explained, "I got her mother a fan, black with flowers, and she learned to open it like I'd seen women do in Spain."

"You must be a fast learner," Alexis said. "And thank you for my fan Mr. Beckett."

"You're very welcome, you should decide which one you want," Jim said before Martha and Julia talked to her about the three fans there were.

"There is one thing actually we'd like to say now we're talking to all of you," Castle said, sharing a look with his fiancée once they'd decided which fan they wanted. "Kate and I were talking about it and we decided we're not having the wedding here as we'd told you."

"We're having at in the Hamptons," Beckett finished.

"Oh, it took you two long enough, I'm glad neither of us bet any money on that, I would be out quite a lot," Martha said, directing the last to Beckett's dad.

"You made a bet about our wedding?" Castle asked, frowning slightly.

"Of course, I said you'd change to the beach right away after Jim mentioned you'd always wanted to get married on a beach, Kate," Martha explained.

"I thought you'd take a little longer to realize it, not until after you went to the beach again and realized you could have the wedding on the beach at your home there," Jim said.

"I'm glad you guys are doing it there, it'll be a beautiful setting," Alexis commented.

"Yeah, we go on the sand?" Julia asked, sounding pleased at the change.

"We will, but just for the ceremony, the reception will be under a tent on the grass," Castle said.

After a few more questions about their changed wedding plans, the conversation with Alexis was a little short, as she needed to head to her school to study with Diana and some friends for their Hindu Mythology final on Wednesday. But she promised to talk to her dad and grandmother the next day if she could, and said the same to Julia and Beckett before leaving.

"She'll ace that no problem," Castle said. "I think that was her favorite class."

"I'm not surprised, she took to everything Indian quickly," Martha said. "Another glass of wine Richard, Kate?"

"No thanks. Sweetie, we should probably get this off of you," Beckett told her daughter.

"Not until I need to take a bath," Julia pleaded. When her mother finally nodded she went to her grandfather and asked, "When we go can I learn to dance?"

"You will, I've told my friends about you, and how you'd probably want to dance yourself, they'll teach you they promised me," Jim said, smiling when Julia squealed and clapped her hands, unable to jump because of the costume. "I think I'd better go though, I do have work."

"So do we," Castle said. "Well, we might," he said to his fiancée's expression. "But thank you for everything."

"You're welcome, it's a lot of fun to dole out gifts like that," Jim commented as he put on his jacket at the door. "I'll call you tomorrow Julia," he said to his granddaughter as they hugged. "Wait…" he said when he then picked up his empty suitcase and heard something clacking inside as it fell. "I knew I'd forgotten something for you," he said as he took out some _castanets_ and handed them to the little girl who was watching interestedly.

"Thank you," Julia said, taking them. "They're like what flamenco dancers and the dancers you showed us have," she said, trying to put them on her hands but not sure how to get the cord holding the halves together to fit on two fingers.

"Like this," Beckett said, helping her daughter. "And these are a little hard to play, so don't be worried if you can't at first."

"Kay," Julia said, trying to move her hands. She was unable to really make them hit together in any kind of rhythm and she just waved them. "I'll practice Grandpapa, thank you," she said again.

"You're welcome honey, enjoy those and the fan," Jim said before they exchanged a kiss. "I love you Julia."

"Love you Grandpapa," she replied before he said goodbye to her mother and Castle and Martha. "Mommy," she said once the door was locked. "Do you know how to use these?"

"I get the feeling you do," Martha commented.

"So do I," Castle said. He smiled when Beckett sighed and took the instrument from Julia, and then tapped out a basic beat. "So you really want to go to Spain. And again, sure you're not Spanish at all?"

"Just being able to do that?" Beckett asked before she shook her head. "Yes to the first question and I really have no idea to your second. Now, sweetie, time for a bath." And with that she scooped up her daughter; embroidered shoes and all; and headed upstairs as Castle followed.

* * *

"She's asleep?" Martha asked as Castle and Beckett were coming down the stairs nearly an hour later.

"Finally, I didn't think all the gifts would make her as excited as they did," Beckett sighed as she leaned against the island while Castle went to get some coffee ready.

"Expect that to happen more and more often," Martha said with a wry smile. "I'm heading to my room, to take a second look at the script for tomorrow's class. Goodnight you two."

"Night Mother," Castle said, Beckett saying goodnight as well. "So, now we have some time for it, want to take a look at the book together?"

"You didn't look at that one either?" Beckett asked. "I know you've been there already," she said as she took the mug he handed her before they walked to his office. "But not the whole country."

"Hey, that would be a good vacation one summer, just Ireland so we could go all over the country," Castle said. "Same with Spain."

Shaking her head and smiling, Beckett grabbed the Ireland travel guide and sat on Castle's lap; they'd looked through the Spain book in that same way; and she opened it up to the pages on Dublin. "There are a couple places I'd love to take her," Beckett said. "Did you ever go to the writer's museum?"

"Not enough time, but that is definitely one place I'd like to go to," Castle said. "And would you like to go riding whenever it is we're there?"

"That you shouldn't have had to ask," Beckett said. "Since you never did when we were sort of planning out our trip to Spain and yet we both talked about getting some Andalusians wherever we can and ride in the country. Though we seem to want to do that in Asturias the way we were talking."

"They have to have those horses there," Castle said. "But in Ireland, I want to find out if we could ride at the Burren at all."

"We have time," Beckett reminded him, flipping the book a little and stopping at a manor that covered both pages. "This would be interesting," she said, looking at the description.

"Powerscourt, yeah, I kind of remember hearing about it, it's not too far from Dublin; I think," Castle commented, reading with her. "Julia would love it; all the gardens there appear to be."

"And just judging by the landscape photos she'd be happy to have pictures of that," Beckett said. She smiled as she flipped ahead to the pages on the city of Waterford, since Castle's hand had reached up and taken her left that she had on his shoulder. Letting the book slide to her lap, she leaned down slightly as he looked up at her at the same time, and they kissed deeply. She reached up with her free hand, and slid it into the space his shirt made at his neck, laying her palm there. Feeling his heartbeat speeding up as she did that, she pulled away and nuzzled his ear before whispering, "Again?" to him.

"You can't really be that surprised," Castle said simply before he took her hand off of him and kissed the inside of her wrist. "But if you don't-"

Kissing him to stop him, Beckett gave him her reply to that, and was pleased when he quickly slid his hands over her back as he held her tightly against him. When they pulled apart she led the way to his room, watching him close and lock the door behind him before they went straight to the bed. But instead of rushing to undress as they'd done earlier, he kissed her gently, and she knew what he was trying to tell her without having to speak.

Castle found himself relieved she could easily understand him as she responded to that kiss the same way he'd started it, and he reached in between them to start unbuttoning her blouse. "Did I mention I hate this shirt?" Castle asked as they ended their kiss so he could see where his fingers were going.

"You pop off a button you're sewing it back on," Beckett said.

"At least you don't think my basic sewing skills make me less of a man," Castle commented.

"Makes you smarter," Beckett said. "I never really knew many that knew-" she started to say when he kissed her gently. They parted and she finished hurriedly, "How to just thread a needle. So no, it doesn't, uh! It doesn't make you less of a man. Castle," ending with a heavy moan as he was nibbling at her collarbone.

Having to pull away a little bit later, he let out a slight groan of impatience and said, "I wasn't having these problems before with these buttons," struggling with one a little past the middle of the row. "Maybe if they weren't so small," he said in annoyance.

"Why don't I lie down?" Beckett suggested. "It might be easier."

"Yeah, that's actually a great idea," Castle said, not caring he'd wanted her on that bed without clothes and shoes in the way. He just wanted whatever could help him, and hurried to follow her on the bed before he went back to the buttons, and that time was able to work through them a lot faster before he was spreading it apart as wide as it would go. Before she could reach for him as she was beginning to do, he leaned down, pressing feverish kisses to her skin, feeling it radiant with heat. Shuddering at the silky texture under his lips, he pulled back and set off a frantic flurry of kisses mixed with their hands pulling their clothes off and caressing wherever they could. Finally though, he was laying her back against her pillows and one of his saying, "I've never been so happy to have so many of these."

"I know," Beckett said, smiling a little at his eagerness. She was able to look on as he settled in between her legs, and she breathed out as she watched their hips join together, that breath distorted with him entering her. He was very slow, very gentle, and her eyes rolled back in her head feeling his every inch against her easily though she was very slick with her arousal by then. When they were joined together, she immediately wrapped her arms around him, her legs following suit as he remained still, kissing her gently. She knew they were both in agreement that they wanted to make love; needing that as a contrast to that afternoon; but didn't really want their kisses to be, so she deepened it by sliding her tongue out enough to brush against his upper lip before he was almost diving into her mouth with his own.

Fighting with her, Castle was a little surprised that he needed to, but he soon realized why she was doing that, so he went along with it; still enjoying the roughness of their kiss. He moved back at the same time that she did, and looked at her intently as she slid one of her hands up to his hair. Shuddering slightly as she proceeded to stroke it he went down to her neck, wanting to give into his instincts and go crazy there, but he knew he couldn't risk it. So he settled for her breasts, kissing them, nipping at them before he finally took her right nipple into his mouth, feeling her immediately arch her back in response. All that time they were moving together, having started an easy, unhurried rhythm that still left him feeling sharp shocks of pleasure that rushed through his body. He suddenly became a little unsure she was too, so he moved away from her chest long enough to grab another pillow.

Not all that shocked at his move, Beckett then wrapped her legs around him tightly. As compared to before, she simply wrapped them together around his waist, but let her legs open as far as her muscles would allow them to part. She breathed out heavily at his first thrust once she had done that, and closed her eyes tightly as Castle went to her ear, whispering to her. He was telling her pretty exactly what he was feeling, moving inside of her, and it nearly made her lose control of herself to start moving faster. But she was just able to keep herself from that, and just in time, as her fiancé was suddenly slowing down. She bit her lower lip as she opened her eyes, and looked up at him saying, "Don't stop."

"I can't, I just told you why," Castle said, his teeth clenching for a moment as he'd spoken. He groaned as he could feel her carefully clenching around him in response to his slower pace. He had his eyes shut tightly, and he found himself speeding up; though only to get back at the rhythm he'd been at in the first place. It was a kind of relief to get there, and as she was matching him again he kissed her, but quickly, before he descended to her neck. He could feel her pulse racing just under the skin, and he shuddered again, but that time in knowing it was being with him that was making her heart race. Not really sure where that thought came from; it wasn't something he usually considered when he was with a woman. He had to wonder; fleetingly as it was next to impossible to really think that well doing what he was doing; if his subconscious was trying to remind him of why he was with her, why he was always looking forward to being with her and wanted her as badly as he did so often.

As Castle was thinking that, Beckett stroked the back of his head slowly, feeling his cheek pressed against hers, her other hand feeling his back, his muscles tense and working to move. She bit her lower lip before he turned his head to take her lips, letting him take control of that kiss before they parted to breathe. Taking a quick gulp of air, she was soon back at his lips, and taking them a little harder than he had hers. She wrapped her other arm around his neck, holding him tightly as he'd moved enough so his chest was just brushing against hers. The stimulation to her breasts was instantaneous, and she had to break off the kiss to let out a slight moan that soon bubbled up into a longer, deeper one as Castle was reaching in between them.

Searching, he was easily able to find her sensitive nub, since she was so heavily aroused by then. He kissed her hard as he began to gently finger her, feeling her whole body shudder at the sensation. Carefully, he moved his fingertips over her clit, swallowing hard as they parted, and he watched her as he pleasured her. When he quickly recognized that she was close to the edge, he pulled that hand away, and allowed himself a quick pass over her breasts with his mouth, taking whatever he came into contact with. Finally he threw himself back; though it wasn't far; and went to her lips, nibbling on the lower one as his hand grasped her left thigh and squeezed it roughly.

Unable to tell if it was that action, or just a combination that he was making her feel throughout her body, Beckett lost that battle with herself, and was soon crying out as she dug her heels into his back. She was trying to take each wave of ecstasy as it coursed through her, but it was next to impossible, everything was way too intense. She was vaguely aware of him joining her, hearing his short yell of her name before he was pressing his face to her cheek, and she was aware; as they began to calm down; of his breath moistening her jaw. She turned when she felt his body relax and ran her hand slowly over his hair. "Even that slowly," she commented, trying to tease him. But another part of her was trying to tell him that she was likely always going to have the same reaction to him.

"It goes both ways," Castle said simply before he got off of her and lay back, holding her to his side. He felt her kiss his lips and before he could respond she was getting off the bed. "Come on, just once? Tomorrow…" he groaned when he saw her go for her pajamas.

Pausing at his tone, before he trailed off, Beckett studied him before she closed the drawer that was hers, and walked over to the bed. "Don't think this means you're going to get your way every time," she warned him as he covered them both with the sheet.

"The main goal is you in my bed, and since you want to be here, I'd say that was a double success," Castle said, turning on his side to lay behind her. He wrapped his arm around her and kissed her shoulder whispering, "I'm serious about tomorrow morning."

"You usually are," Beckett said wryly. She turned her head then and they shared a deep, lingering kiss that wasn't rushed at all, and once they'd pulled apart she whispered, "I love you Rick."

"I love you too Kate," Castle said, unable to help the thrill that went through him in knowing she was perfectly fine if they managed to wake up as he was hoping they would with them still naked. He kissed the back of her shoulder and then relaxed when she did in front of him, holding her securely against his chest as they quickly fell asleep; having exhausted each other that day; twice; very enjoyably.

* * *

The room; brightening with dawn; was filled with the sounds of heavy breathing in between each kiss, and Beckett lay back on the bed, taking Castle with her. There was a little fumbling between them before they achieved their goal, and he was sliding into her body slowly.

"It's so early," Castle groaned though he was more than ready. He was trying to catch up with what had happened since his fiancée had woken him up with a number of furious kisses and groping him a little. But as she kissed him again once they were coupled tightly, he found himself ready and he moved back to descend to her neck saying, "I… told you," pausing to kiss her. He didn't wait for her response, poised to start moving when her phone began to ring. "Crap," he said bitterly as he seemed to collapse against her.

Having made a sound of annoyance herself, Beckett reached over and answered, keeping her legs where they were around him. "Hello? Yeah, okay, I'll be there, but I'll probably be late, I need to get Mrs. Parker and tell her about Julia's plans today. Okay, I'll call him now, bye," she said quickly before hanging up.

"Nice, but why are we taking longer…" Castle started to say before he realized what she wanted. "You want to…?"

"I bought us some time, but you need to hurry," Beckett said a little urgently as he raised himself above her.

"Yeah," Castle said simply, and he leaned down, kissing her roughly as he proceeded to move, going as fast as he could, trying to enjoy what was going to turn out to be a quickie before they headed to wherever their new case was.

* * *

"Hey, got here pretty quickly," Ryan said as Beckett walked up to the apartment he was standing in front of.

"Luckily Mrs. Parker was available," Beckett said simply in reply. "Did Castle get here before me?" she asked, looking around.

"He did," Ryan said slowly. "But just to warn you, he's in that mood again; though he says he broke up with whoever it was he's been with."

"The I just got laid one? Even with the breakup?" Beckett asked. When he nodded she sighed and said, "Okay," simply. She walked past him into the apartment, still feeling the lingering effects of hers and Castle intimate encounter as brief as it'd been, seeing her fiancé kneeling next to the body in the living room. "I'm surprised to see you," she commented, getting his attention.

Shrugging, Castle stood and said, "This case makes up for it," trying to affect an unreadable emotion for Lanie; who'd been watching him closely when he'd mentioned his supposed breakup.

"What do we have?" Beckett asked.

"A Kendra Winters, twenty-nine years old and a nurse at Manhattan General," Ryan said. "But apparently according to her dad who discovered her body, she was back in school to earn her PhD in Chemistry."

"That would explain the books," Beckett said, glancing at the table she'd seen out of the corner of her eye. She looked down at the victim, who was face down, the back of her head a mass of blood. "So blunt force trauma Lanie?" she asked.

"That's my best bet," Lanie replied, nodding to the ceiling. "If we're lucky, I should be able to get an imprint of the item once I get the blood off her head."

"Yeah, that would be nice," Beckett murmured, seeing the blood spatter above. "Movie tickets?" she asked, seeing two of them on the floor with blood spatter next to them. "And the pattern?"

"I'm going to guess that was from the first blow," Lanie said. "And the line above it was your killer leaving."

"I'd say it was a date gone bad," Castle said. "Or a friend who is not a friend anymore at this point."

"When was she killed?" Beckett asked.

"I'd place time of death between seven and nine," Lanie replied. "And I'll let you know if I get anything else besides the blunt force trauma."

"Were you able to do a canvass?" Beckett asked Ryan. "And the dad?"

"Espo took the dad to the station to talk to him," Ryan said.

"And what, you didn't canvass the neighbors?" Beckett asked, a little surprised that was all he'd said.

"We did, and we got one neighbor that saw a man leave at around eight from here with a hoodie," Ryan said. "He said he looked pretty shifty, and guessed it was a drug dealer."

"Did you tell Esposito?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah, he'll be asking the dad about that," Ryan replied. "The neighbor is two doors down if you're wondering."

"So it's a drug deal gone bad, tickets were a diversion," Castle commented. "I was close."

"Not even," Beckett said simply, seeing Lanie rolling her eyes. She brought her hand up to her mouth so no one would see her smile, knowing why her friend was annoyed with him though he was supposed to be single again at that point. "Okay, so she lets him in," she then said quickly. "Drug deal or date, she knew him, there's no obvious forced entry. She turns and he hits her," there she paused and walked along the trail of blood leading to where the victim was. "She's able to recover and tries to run, but he catches up and strikes her numerous times, she falls and tries to reach for the room. Anything around here?" she asked Ryan.

"Her phone," the detective said simply as he took it from someone from CSU. "Haven't had a chance to check it out yet."

Taking the bag, Beckett turned on the phone, seeing a number of missed calls and messages from the vic's parents and brother, and then went to the contacts list. "Nothing suspicious, but still, let's take a closer look here. Any other phones? A land line because if that drug theory is true, there should be another phone."

"No, and CSU looked through every inch of the place," Ryan said.

"Okay, then I'll head back to the Precinct-" Beckett started to say.

Clearing his throat, Castle raised his hand and asked, "Think I could bum a ride over."

"Fine, but I don't want to hear a word about what's making you so damn full of yourself," Beckett said warningly. "Ryan, why don't you stay and see what else CSU can get. While they're looking through here, ask this neighbor if he's seen this man before, or other suspicious people. Get dates if you can too, maybe it's been going on for a long time. And check and see about any cameras, especially the hall and the stairs; this guy didn't walk in the lobby."

"Right," Ryan said, clearing his throat as he took the phone back.

"Have either you or Javi been talking with them?" Lanie asked after they watched Castle and Beckett leave.

"It's not that simple Lanie, you know how Beckett is. And apparently talking to him isn't going to work, seems to be with someone else every time I try to suggest him maybe taking Beckett for a drink at the Old Haunt alone," Ryan said, looking down at his notebook to keep from breaking his serious tone. He could feel the doctor's eyes boring into him and he looked up before blanching slightly. "But I do talk to him. Let me ask CSU how things are going in the bedroom."

Watching the detective walking away, Lanie shook her head, feeling sorry for Beckett as she knelt next to the body again. She could only hope Castle wasn't driving her crazy on the ride back to the station.

* * *

"Are you mad at me?" Castle asked as he stood at the trunk of Beckett's car to wait for her.

"Not really, interesting act you put on, but I get the feeling you didn't really need to act that much," she said simply.

"Not at all," Castle said. He squeezed her fingers briefly before they headed to the elevator, and on the ride up commented, "Kinda disappointed about this case."

"We've had normal ones before," Beckett pointed out.

"True, but they don't outweigh the strange ones," Castle said. "But does that drug angle feel right to you?"

"No, because her place was spotless," Beckett said, knowing he'd just played along with that since he thought it was expected of him. "Nothing that gave any indication that she was a drug dealer. Though I can see why the neighbor would think that; he probably already knew she was a nurse-"

"And figured a guy looking like that was a dealer taking away meds she'd stolen," Castle said. "I'm starting to wonder though-"

"Guys, just got finished with the vic's dad, was pretty adamant about his daughter having nothing to do with drugs," Esposito said as soon as the doors opened to reveal Castle and Beckett were inside. "But he said she's had problems with a neighbor, and that neighbor was the guy who's our eyewitness."

"Did you call Ryan?" Beckett asked as they walked to her desk.

"He's on his way with the guy now," Esposito said. "And something else Mr. Winters told us, his daughter had a date last night according to her mother."

"I'm wondering now why the tickets?" Castle said. "Maybe he was trying to get her to trust him. It was a first date right?"

"As far as he knew," Esposito said. "Her mother collapsed when he called her, their son took her to the hospital."

"I'll call her," Beckett said simply. "When she's recovered. And what did he see when he got to his daughter's place?"

"Well, he went over there because his wife was calling her to see how the date had gone," Esposito said. "And she didn't answer, which concerned her since the vic gets up at about five thirty to go to work. They all called her, and finally he went himself to check on her. Walking up to the door to the apartment it was closed, but unlocked, when he opened it, he saw his daughter."

Beckett was going to respond to that when the doors to the elevator opened, and Ryan walked out with who she guessed was the neighbor. "We'll take this one," she said, turning to Esposito. "Start looking into this guy, see if we can get anything of the history between them."

"From what her dad said," Esposito replied. "It was a noise complaint the vic filed against Mr. Eaton there. There was bad blood between them already, because he'd tried to ask her out before that complaint."

"And there's motive," Beckett said simply before heading into interrogation after Ryan had come out. "Mr. Eaton," she said as the man looked up at her and Castle. "Since you already are aware of what happened, I'm wondering if we could ask you a few questions."

"Sure I guess," the man said, shrugging. "You found out about the complaint right?"

"We did, and we're wondering about the validity of your story about this guy leaving the apartment," Castle said.

"No, that's right," Eaton said quickly, looking a little concerned. "I have no idea if there's anything to do with drugs, but there was seriously a guy there, he walked out after I heard someone yelling."

"You didn't mention this before," Beckett said.

"Yeah, no, I thought it had nothing to do with the crime," Eaton said. "So I thought it would have been a waste of time."

"Could you hear what was being yelled?" Castle asked.

"Just the name Jerry, the rest of the words were pretty unintelligible," Eaton said simply. "But again, I thought it was this couple down the hall from me, I have no idea what his name is though, just guessed it was Jerry."

"So Ms. Winters was yelling-" Beckett started to say.

"It was a man actually," Eaton said. "The couple down the hall from me are two men, so I thought it was a man."

"You said you saw the man leaving, could you see his face at all?" Castle asked then as he and Beckett shared a look.

"Yeah, I could," Easton said.

"Can you sit with a sketch artist?" Beckett asked. When the man nodded rapidly, she stood up and left, her fiancé with her. "So I'm not sure about this guy," she said as they walked into observation. "I'd like to see what he comes up with, with the sketch artist."

"As a test?" Castle said.

"As a test," Beckett replied simply before she stepped out of the way of Esposito. "Any luck with footage from the apartment building?"

"Some footage from the hall," Ryan said. "But you're not going to like this," he said, handing her a photograph.

"Huh, no head," Castle said, seeing what he guessed was a man was cut off by a thick line of static. "Where have I seen… wait, what if this guy didn't have a head?" When the other two looked at him he quickly said, "It happened on _The X-Files_ and-"

"I've seen that episode," Beckett cut him off. "And if you're thinking the guy needed to eat something from her body to survive, then what?"

"Her skull? Or her brains, he could be a zombie" Castle asked with a shrug, not too surprised she sounded irritated. At her frustrated sigh he said quickly, "I'll make some coffee, excuse me," before quickly leaving the room.

"What about the stairs?" Beckett asked Ryan.

"No cameras, but the entrance to those stairs is only from the lobby, so I'm taking a huge risk on getting their footage to see if I can see anyone around the time of death," he replied.

"I'm going to get some coffee myself, I was up way too early," Beckett said. "But once I'm done I'll be looking at those numbers from her phone." She and Ryan left observation and she went to the break room, seeing Castle was finishing up a mug of coffee. "I'm sorry if I was a little too… bitchy just now, but it's just way too early for your theories," she said to her fiancé when she saw the pattern in the foam of what was a rose; something he'd learned to make at their daughter's insistence.

"Have to let me have at least that," Castle commented, getting to work on a cup for himself. "This early, though I wasn't serious, it's just that picture reminded me of the episode."

"That and we were watching it last week, we're on season four now," Beckett replied with a smile as she took a sip.

"Season four of what?" Ryan asked, coming in then.

"Oh, the show she likes, about puppies," Beckett said offhandedly though she and Castle had tensed up when he'd first come into the room. "How goes the sketch?"

"Nearly done," Ryan said, getting some coffee from the pot brewing. "So since I'm waiting for the footage to be sent, tell me about this ex-girlfriend, you haven't said a word about her except insinuating she's great and even though you broke up, sharing might help you feel better," he said with a slight smirk.

"And that's my cue to exit, enjoy your jock talk boys," Beckett said, rolling her eyes and standing up from where she'd been leaning against the counter next to Castle. She was about to walk to the doorway when she saw Esposito making his way to it. "What?" she asked, seeing his expression.

"You know how Eaton said he'd seen a guy around our time of death coming out of the vic's apartment?" he asked, coming into the room as Castle and Ryan went over to them. Without another word; though the others looked at him questioningly; he handed the sketch to Beckett.

"This… what the hell, this is the sketch artist," Beckett said. "Where is he?" she said angrily. Without waiting for Esposito to answer, she strode out of the room and went to where LT was leading the man to holding. "Hold on," she called to the officer. "You do know this does not clear your name," she said angrily.

"You never asked my alibi," Eaton said, blanching when he saw the man in the sketch he'd described. He saw Beckett's eyes nearly blazing with her anger, so he said, "W-What time should I provide an alibi for?"

"Seven to nine," Beckett said.

Breathing out heavily in relief, Eaton answered simply, "My job. I work at the Apple store in Grand Central, from one in the afternoon to ten; I help close up."

"Then why this story about the man you saw leaving?" Castle asked.

"Because I knew you'd find out about my history with Kendra, so I… tried to get you off me in a really bad way," Eaton said.

Stepping aside as Ryan placed the man under arrest instead for providing false information, Beckett went back to her desk when her blue mug appeared in front of her. "Thanks," she said with a sigh, smiling briefly at Castle as she took it. She took a few sips and sat down; opening the file that was there, seeing it was pictures of the contact list of the vic. She was about to go to her computer, when her phone rang and she was quick to pull it from her pocket.

"Lanie already?" Castle asked, turning from the murder board.

"No," Beckett said, brows furrowed as she looked at the number. "Beckett?"

When he heard his fiancée say, "What? A block away? No, we'll be there right away," he turned and asked, "Did they find the killer?"

"Not even close," Beckett said grimly. "There's been another murder."


	4. Must Not Be So

Walking into the apartment, Castle felt a sense of déjà vu, seeing the body on the floor, the back of the vic's head a bloody mass and one hand reaching ahead of them. "Who is she?" he asked Lanie.

"Her name is Helena Tucker," the doctor answered, handing Esposito a wallet. "This was in her pocket. And she's a teacher, according to her sister who was the one to find her forty minutes earlier."

Looking over to where Lanie pointed, Beckett saw a young woman sitting on a chair at the table in the kitchen with her head between her legs. "Is she okay?" she asked.

"She is, just won't leave her sister, but isn't doing too well seeing her," Lanie said.

"Ryan, think you can talk with her?" Beckett asked. When he went over to the woman, she waited for him to take her outside of the apartment before turning back to Lanie. "How is this connected to our vic?" she asked.

"This," the doctor replied as she picked up a slate with chalk writing on it.

"Shorthand," Castle said when he saw the scribbles, five lines of the same kind going from top to bottom.

"Can you read it?" Beckett asked.

"Not really. Was someone else able to?" Castle said to Lanie.

"I was, I learned shorthand in college to make it easier on me to take notes," the doctor said simply. "It's a little rough, I'm assuming your killer wanted to keep you guessing at what this said, but it's your first vic's name, repeatedly."

"What's the time of death?" Beckett asked quickly.

"I'd put it at about ten to twelve," Lanie said.

"So he was busy last night," Castle said. "But if she was a teacher, would she have been up that late?" he asked, seeing the vic was still in a blouse and skirt.

"Or was it another date?" Beckett said, not surprised Castle nodded at that suggestion.

"It wasn't," Esposito said, coming inside then. "Ryan just got the sister to go to the station. But I asked her that as they were going. Her sister teaches tenth grade History, and she had assigned essays to her four classes, and she was likely grading them last night."

"We did find a large amount of papers in the extra room, on the desk there Detectives," a member of the CSU team said then.

"It's another case of the victim knowing the killer," Castle said. "No forced entry."

"I'm wondering if this is a friend, or someone posing as the parent or family member of a student of hers," Beckett mused. "We need to come in contact with her school, see if there have been any students she's had trouble with."

"Or parents, sometimes they can get really protective," Castle pointed out.

"Are you speaking from experience?" Beckett asked him as Ryan came back inside.

"No way," Castle said, bending over the body. "Is she reaching out for her phone?"

"It's here," the CSU member said, handing a phone in a bag to Beckett.

"Check on this," she said, giving it to Esposito. "And see if maybe there aren't texts between her and the killer. To my mind though-"

"It was an unexpected visit," Castle said.

"Most likely," Beckett said, nodding in agreement. "Ryan, think you can ask LT and Rizzio to do a quick canvas of this floor? And also I'd like you to stay with CSU again. Espo, we need to try and see if there's better security footage of this place than our first vic's apartment."

"On it," Esposito said before leaving.

"Were you able to do any of the autopsy of the first vic before you got called in?" Beckett asked the doctor.

"No, they caught me right as I was scrubbing up for it," Lanie said as some coworkers were placing the vic in a body bag. "But I'll get to it as soon as I get back. Do you want me to call you right after, or perform the second one?"

"Between the two," Beckett said simply. She watched her friend leave with the other two and the body, and turned to see Castle was in the kitchen. "Anything?" she asked.

"Just a chalkboard. Look at this," he pointed out to her.

" _Meeting with G.A. mother, Tuesday_ ; which is today," Beckett read. "Okay, that's where looking into her students will help. Right now we need to head back to the Precinct, talk with the vic's sister."

"Think you'll be able to make it back to take Julia?" Castle asked in a low voice once they were in the elevator.

"I'm not sure, it depends on the interview," Beckett said. "I'm wondering if you can go?"

"Yeah," Castle said, knowing she wasn't asking if it was possible for him to leave in the middle of a case. "Do you want me to say anything if she asks about you?"

"If," Beckett scoffed. They had reached the lobby by then and walking out she saw Esposito walking up to them and said, "Anything?"

"Stairs have cameras, as do the halls," the detective replied. "They're getting the hours we need prepared for those and the lobby, just in case."

"Okay, there was a note on a board in the kitchen, the vic was supposed to meet with the mother of a student," Beckett told him.

"Think a woman could swing so hard she'd get blood on the ceiling twice?" Castle asked then.

"Depends on the weapon I think," Esposito said.

"And how strong the person holding the weapon is with adrenaline running through them," Beckett said simply. "I'll take the list of students when we finish talking-"

"Actually, after you talk to the sister, you can head home," Esposito said. When she looked at him he said simply, "Ryan and I will take care of things until you get back from dropping her off."

"Again, if Gates finds out-" Beckett started to say, since it wasn't the first time her partners had done that.

"She knows," Esposito interrupted.

"She knows? And she's okay with it," Beckett said in slight shock.

"She is, because she knows you're trying to juggle Julia and your job, and she's a mother too, so she'll understand your daughter will come first," Esposito said. "As long as Ryan and I pick up the slack and you don't take too long with that, she's fine with it. Plus she did say school's almost over, but isn't Julia going to camp?"

"Yes, but that won't be a problem for Mrs. Parker to take her," Beckett said. "School is different; for some reason Julia has to have me go with her there. So tell Ryan thank you, and Castle, keep out-"

"I'm heading home myself after that interview; I need to meet someone for my book, for research. Thought you might not appreciate me using the station for that… well, you and Gates," he said simply.

"Right, then let's go, I don't want to leave Ms.-" Beckett began.

"It's Mrs. Rousseau," Esposito said quickly.

Nodding Beckett then said, "Okay, thank you for the heads up. Castle."

"Wait, can I talk to him, just a second in private?" Esposito said. "Two minutes," he said quickly.

"Fine, I'll be heading out to the car," Beckett said. She went to the street and was in her car before Castle was joining her. "Well?" she asked.

"I'll explain later," he said, looking irritated as Beckett pulled away from the curb.

* * *

"I don't understand how the hell this could happen," the second vic's sister was saying angrily as she paced back and forth in front of Castle and Beckett who were watching her. "Helena was a great person, she never liked to fight or make people mad, who would want to kill her?"

"I'm wondering if maybe she didn't have some kind of trouble at school," Beckett suggested.

"With her students? No, she was a great teacher, they loved her since she made history a lot more interesting," Mrs. Rousseau said quickly. "She… oh, she had a little issue with one student, who was skipping her class. She had to tell the principle of course, and she got him suspended, his parents went ballistic not believing their son would do that."

"What was that student's name?" Castle asked.

"I don't know, she kept the names confidential, to protect the students. She did love those kids, loved being a teacher," Mrs. Rousseau said, shaking her head.

"Did she have a boyfriend, fiancé?" Beckett then said.

"Oh no, Helena wasn't really interested in people like that, so no, nobody romantic in her life," Mrs. Rousseau said. "Well, as far as I know, she could have been keeping that a secret from me as far as I know."

"When was the last time you'd spoken to her?" Beckett asked, writing a few quick notes on her pad of paper.

"Yesterday morning, before she left for class, she's… she was going to throw me a baby shower so we were starting to get that set up," Mrs. Rousseau said, tears forming in her eyes. She sat down quickly and covered her face with her hands. "She was happy, ecstatic to become an aunt and now… Please find who did this to her," she said to Beckett.

"We'll do our best," she replied in as assuring a tone as she could. "I just have one last question to ask Mrs. Rousseau, if you're okay to answer." When the woman nodded, Beckett took a picture of their first vic and showed it to the second vic's sister. "Do you know who this is? Someone your sister might have known?"

"No," Mrs. Rousseau said simply, studying the woman.

"Thank you for talking with us," Beckett said, standing up then. "If there's anything you might remember about your sister that might help our case, please feel free to call me," she said, handing the woman her card. When the vic's sister had been escorted to the elevator by Hastings, she turned to Castle and said, "This is becoming a weird one."

"It's looking that way," he said in agreement. "Two very different women, different looks, different ages, but same weapon used to kill them, whatever that is."

"I have a chance to get started on those names, since Ryan and Espo aren't back yet," Beckett said, glancing at her watch as they went to her desk.

"Why don't you fill out the board, and leave once they get here," Castle suggested in a low voice.

"I will," Beckett said. "I'll text when I'm on my way. But tell her I will take her to school." She watched him go, and then turned her attention to the file on her desk, taking out the picture of the second vic from the DMV. She set it on the murder board and uncapped a marker before starting to write the newest information they had.

* * *

"Are you sure you don't want to get dressed yet?" Martha asked Julia as they were finishing breakfast.

"I want to wait for Mommy," the little girl said simply. "Is Castle coming?"

"I don't know darling, I tried to get in touch with him; and your mother; and I think they're busy working," Martha said. At that moment the door opened, and she turned to see it was her son. "Richard, your mother was trying to see if you were coming and I can't get a short message in reply," she chided him half jokingly.

"Sorry Mother, but I was just down the hall when you texted," Castle said as Julia had run over to him. "Good morning sweetheart, sorry your mom and I weren't here to wake you up."

"It's kay, I know Mommy probably worked," Julia said. "Is she coming?" she asked in a small voice.

"She will, but since she might be a little late, I think you should get dressed," Castle said.

"Can she do my hair?" Julia pleaded as he carried her up to Alexis' room.

"Sure, but let my mom brush it out first so you won't be late for school," Castle said.

Martha shook her head with a smile as she watched the two, and started taking the bowls from breakfast to the kitchen. She was heading up when the two came to the top of the stairs and she said in surprise, "That was quick."

"She wants to see her mom," Castle said simply. "Can you-"

"Come here Julia, it shouldn't take me too long to brush your hair," Martha said, going up and leading her back inside Alexis' room.

Going down, Castle glanced at the dishes in the sink, but before he could take off his jacket to get started on cleaning up, he heard faint pounding outside in the hall. He started to walk to the door, when it almost flew open, and Beckett rushed inside. "You're not late," he said quickly as he went to her.

"I know, but she has to get dressed, and-" she started to say.

"We took care of that," Castle said quickly. "Actually, all you need to do is her hair; she won't let us do that."

Feeling a little foolish as she always seemed to forget she wasn't alone in taking care of her daughter anymore, Beckett said, "They didn't get anything from the canvas, and Ryan's starting to go through the footage, tech was able to figure out our killer is about five nine to five eleven. So he's using that as a reference."

"Not going to use the fact the man has no head?" Castle joked.

Shaking her head, Beckett smiled and said, "Esposito is looking into the student, and he'll start on the phones from both vics."

"Mommy!" Julia cried as she came down the stairs to see her standing with Castle near the door.

"Hey sweetie, good morning," Beckett said, walking to the bottom of the stairs. She picked up her daughter, hugging her to her tightly before she kissed her temple gently. "Did you sleep good last night?" she asked.

"Yeah, can I take my fan to school?" Julia asked eagerly.

"I think you might want to leave that at home," Beckett told her. "Why don't you let me do your hair now? That way we won't be late."

"Kay," Julia said, going with her mother to the couch. "I wish I could show Celia my costume."

"Remind us," Beckett said, sitting behind her daughter and starting to part her hair to make braided pigtails. "And we'll pack it with your things tomorrow morning to take."

"I'm a little surprised you're letting her spend the night on a school night," Martha commented, coming over with a mug of coffee.

"With it being the last week of school, things aren't all that busy," Castle said. "According to Julia, and she doesn't have any tests exactly. Just needs to say her ABCs, which I know she will do perfectly."

"When do you need to do that?" Martha asked Julia.

"Thursday," the little girl replied. "But I think I know it good."

"And you don't need to worry about saying your alphabet in front of your classmates remember, everyone is going to say the same thing," Beckett told her. "Do you want to try and say it now?"

Nodding, Julia squeezed her eyes shut tightly and said slowly, "A, b, c…"

Since their daughter was distracted, Beckett was able to finish braiding her hair without Julia noticing. When she finished, Julia was finishing up her alphabet, only hesitating with the last few letters before saying z proudly. "That was very good sweetie," she said, gathering her in her arms to the little girl's giggle. "You'll do a great job on Thursday."

"Thank you Mommy, I wish you could see me say it," Julia said.

"Why don't you give us a private performance Thursday night?" Castle suggested.

"Oh, that reminds me," Martha suddenly said. "Something in the paper…" She got up and went to the table where it was, and handed a page to her son.

"What is it?" Beckett asked.

"A Spanish folk dance show," Castle said slowly, looking at Julia as he spoke. "It's folk dances of the country, including flamenco."

"Can-" the little girl immediately started to ask.

"Yes, I'll call my dad, see if he wants to join us," Beckett said. "When is it?"

"Friday night," Castle said after reading the ad. "It'll be your graduation present," he said to Julia.

"Thank you," she said happily.

"Say goodbye to Martha, we need to go," Beckett said, checking the time.

"I'll stay and try to finish up the chapter I'm on," Castle said to Beckett. "If you get anything at all let me know."

"I'll see you later Kate," Martha said after she'd finished saying goodbye to Julia.

"Probably tonight," Beckett said with a smile. "Thank you for getting her breakfast." When his mother had gone upstairs, she turned to Castle and said, "Friday you're coming with us."

"Sure, but we're going to breakfast after we drop her off, since the ceremony is at eleven," he reminded her. He then turned his attention to Julia, who'd gone over to him, and picked her up. "Have a great day at school; you'll have to let us know what you look at in the Spain book today."

"I will," Julia promised. She kissed his cheek before saying, "I asked Mrs. Clayton if you could come and talk about writing books."

"You did?" Castle asked, looking at his fiancée and seeing the surprise on her face.

"Yeah, but she said it was too late, but next year I could do that," Julia said. "Did she say that 'cause no one is supposed to know that you're gonna marry Mommy?" she asked him.

"I think so," Castle said. "Though she seems to be playing it a little too safe."

"If they tell their parents you're there, they might wonder why," Beckett said simply.

"Good point," Castle said. "Thanks for wanting me to talk to your class though," he said then to their daughter. "But maybe I should wait until next year like your teacher said. For now, I'll see you tonight okay?"

"Kay, thank you for my lunch," Julia said, hugging him before they exchanged a kiss and he set her down. As her mother ushered her to the door, she stopped and tugged her hand saying, "You didn't say goodbye to Castle."

"I'll see her soon," he said quickly. But seeing the slightly upset expression on her face, Castle walked over to them and leaned over to share a quick kiss with his fiancée.

"I'll call," Beckett promised when they had parted. She took Julia by the hand again and said, "We said goodbye before he left this morning."

"That doesn't matter," Julia said. "You do that with me, you should do that with Castle too."

"Alright," Beckett said as they stepped into the elevator, slightly smiling. She ran her hand over her daughter's hair and said, "I'm sure we will now. Do you have everything?"

"Yeah, I have my book, that's the most important," Julia replied.

"And your lunch too," Beckett said before they were walking out of the lobby. She hailed a cab and on the way to the school she tested the weight of Julia's backpack. Frowning as she felt how much the book was pulling on the straps she said, "Why don't I carry this for you?" as she took the book out. "Carry it with you to your dance class, and ask Martha to carry it home okay?"

Julia only gave a half-hearted nod, looking at the book already. She protested when her mother took it away saying, "I'll do that Mommy, I promise."

"I don't want you to get car sick," Beckett said simply. When they had finally reached the school, she took Julia to her class and said a quick goodbye, as they'd been late. She was so late she had to leave via the administration offices in the high school to get back to the street since the gates were closed. Taking a cab back to the station, she checked her phone, but there was nothing from anyone there. She was a little startled, then guessed the boys had held back on contacting her while she was with her daughter.

When she was back on the fourth floor she called, "Anything Espo?" since he was at his desk.

"Nothing with the numbers," the detective said. "No texts either that were suspicious. I sent everything to tech, hoping they might be able to pull any numbers deleted recently, but it's a long shot."

"And Ryan? Anything?" Beckett asked, going to where he was sitting in front of the TV.

"Not really," he replied, looking over at her. "If he came in, he was just like everyone else, so I'm assuming that shot I got from our first vic's building wasn't really going to help us, since we would have only gotten barely a side view of his head."

"So we're in agreement this was a guy?" Castle asked suddenly from the doorway.

"Pretty much, though the father of that one student could have done it," Esposito said, coming up behind him. "Student's name is Gerald Andersen, his parents were complaining to the school about our second vic, and they wanted her fired for accusing their son of playing hooky."

"Was he?" Beckett asked.

"Oh, about a month's worth of absences in the end, and not just from our vic's class, all of them except for the first, math," Esposito said. "Apparently had a crush on the teacher in that one."

"Then they could be angry at all the teachers he has," Castle said. "Except for the math teacher."

"And our first vic doesn't fit into that," Ryan said.

"No she doesn't, but I'd like you two to bring him in and talk to him," Beckett said when her phone rang. She read the text and quickly said, "Ryan, you can hold off for the moment on the footage, help Espo with Mr. Andersen. Castle and I will head down to the morgue, Lanie has something."

* * *

"Heard you left the case for a while," Lanie said.

"As I do now," Beckett said, shaking her head at her friend as she knew that was just a joke. "And she's fine, eager for summer."

"Of course," the doctor said before leading them into the room where both victims were. "I've only done the first autopsy, but it was pretty standard. And I have your cause of death for sure, blunt force trauma, and I mean blunt. So much so your killer fractured her skull, and in several places."

"Is that why she's on her stomach?" Castle asked, glancing at the body.

"Basically," Lanie said. "And your other vic too, though I haven't gotten started on her yet."

"No signs of a struggle?" Beckett asked.

"Not that I've found," Lanie said. "But I'm thinking your idea of her turning away from the killer before being struck is your most likely scenario."

"Can you ID the murder weapon?" Castle asked.

"I had to take some pictures," Lanie said, walking over to the counter next to the table. "And even then I almost didn't see it."

"See what?" Beckett asked.

Taking some photographs, Lanie handed them wordlessly to her and said, "The shape is pretty distinctive."

"I… I still don't know what this is," Beckett said, shaking her head.

"It's this," Lanie said simply, holding up a hammer with a hook at the end of it.

"An autopsy tool?" Castle said.

"You've never seen this?" Lanie asked. "Do you ever do research?" she then said when he shook his head no. "It's used with the chisel to separate the calvarium from the lower skull. We call it the silver hammer."

Castle then froze, and looked at Beckett who seemed to be thinking something over. "So," he said, taking her arm and leading her toward the door. "We have a woman who was a chemistry student as the first vic, the second vic was a teacher and… a silver-"

" _Maxwell's Silver Hammer_ ," he and Beckett said at the exact same time.

"What?" Lanie asked in confusion, standing near them.

"We need to head back to the station," Beckett told Castle, who nodded in agreement. She started to leave the room when her friend called her back.

"Something I need to ask really quickly," Lanie told her.

"I'll meet you at the car," Beckett told Castle. She turned to the doctor and asked a little impatiently, "What?"

Leaning against the passenger side of his fiancée's car, Castle straightened up when he saw her striding to him. Seeing the expression on her face, he blanched slightly, and hurried inside as he asked, "Do I even want to ask?"

"We can talk about it later," Beckett said. "Much later. For now, we need to find a judge, fast."


	5. Painting Testimonial Pictures

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some lyrics from the song Maxwell's Silver Hammer in this chapter, which of course was by The Beatles on their album Abbey Road.

" _Maxwell's Silver Hammer_?" Esposito said.

" _Bang, bang Maxwell's silver hammer_ ," Castle corrected. " _Came down upon_ -"

"Castle!" Beckett said in exasperation.

"Has he been singing that?" Ryan asked.

"He was humming it on the way back from the morgue. Stop now or I will send you back home to your book. You can sing to Nikki and Rook all you want," Beckett said, shooting him a quick look.

"Right," Castle said.

"You honestly think a song has anything to do with this?" Esposito asked, bringing their attention back to his question.

"Everything to do with it," Castle said, seeing Beckett was talking to someone on the phone. He stood up and went to the murder board and pointed to the first victim's picture saying, "The lines in the song say _Joan was quizzical, studied pataphysical, science in the home_."

"But the vic was a chemistry student," Ryan pointed out.

"Pataphysical science is a philosophy," Beckett said, covering the mouthpiece of her phone. "Paul likely got the idea from the French writer Alfred Jarry. The killer probably took the line that mentions test tubes to choose her since I really don't think they offer majors in pataphysical science these days," her voice sarcastic at the end.

"What she said," Castle said. "And the song says… well, actually, let me play the song for you," he said when Beckett had hung up the phone. "May I?"

"Oh I have no problems, as long as it's Paul McCartney singing," Beckett said as she turned to her computer screen.

"I'm not that bad," Castle said, faking irritation. When he got only a look from his fiancée he quickly played the song he and Beckett knew their murders were being based on for the boys. "Never heard this?" he asked Ryan.

"Not the biggest fan of The Beatles," the detective said with a shrug before the first lyric was sung.

_Joan was quizzical studied pataphysical_

_Science in the home_

"There's your first vic," Castle said.

_Maxwell Edison, majoring in medicine_

"I'm assuming that's not our killer's name, but could he have some kind of connection to the medical field?" Ryan asked.

_Calls her on the phone_

_Can I take you out to the pictures?_

"That explains the movie tickets," Esposito said. "But we couldn't find any strange numbers, no burner phones or disconnected lines on her records."

"He might have come in contact with her at work or school," Beckett said, hanging up the phone again as the chorus played. "We need to look into both, talk with her classmates and coworkers."

"It'll be more likely that he came into contact with her via the hospital," Castle said. "If he's going to take the song that seriously."

_Back in school again, Maxwell plays the fool again_

_Teacher gets annoyed_

"And there's our second vic," Ryan said, exchanging a look with Esposito as the song went on to describe the teacher being murdered.

_But when she turns her back on the boy_

_He creeps up from behind_

"Have you let Julia listen to this?" Ryan asked.

"Wait," Beckett said, holding up her hand.

_Say he must go free_

_The judge does not agree and he tells them_

"So that's why you're looking for a judge in that area?" Esposito said.

"It is, but the buildings I've been calling are not letting me know; and we can't be here all day trying to find where one has a judge residing there. We were thinking since the first two vics were in such close proximity to each other, the third vic must be as well," Beckett said. Her phone rang then, and she hesitated in picking up the phone before she finally did. "Beckett."

Watching her, Castle wasn't surprised when she looked at him, and as soon as she hung up said, "Another murder."

"Another murder. One block south of our second vic's building, two blocks south of the first," Beckett said as she stood up.

* * *

"So he is a judge," Castle commented as they came into the room and saw the body of the man reaching out towards a doorway. "But I'll bet you anything the robe was put on after he was killed."  
"You'd be correct Castle," Lanie said. "We found bloodstains under here," she said to Beckett, showing underneath the judicial robe the vic was wearing a bloodied shirt.

"He's a retired judge," an older woman said, sitting in the kitchen of the apartment.

"Are you his wife ma'am?" Esposito asked. When she nodded he said, "I'm wondering if I can speak with you outside, please."

"So he knocked over this table," Beckett said, looking at Ryan who'd come out of the room the vic had been trying to get to. "And here's his phone on the floor…" she said, pointing it out to CSU. "Which all our vics were trying to do. Our current vic didn't have a landline?"

"His name is Gian Ancelotti," Ryan said, looking at his pad of paper. "His wife's name is Louise, and as she said, he was a retired judge. No landline though, you're right."

"Lanie?" Beckett asked.

"His time of death was six to eight this morning I'm going to set it at," the doctor replied. "And I can't give you a guarantee until I get him on the slab, but I'd say he was struck with the same weapon as the other two."

"Did the killer leave us anything so we'd know the connection between our first two vics?" Castle asked, having knelt to look at the back of the vic's head.

"Nothing, and I checked everything that I could," Lanie said. "Better ask CSU."

"There was nothing," Ryan said, coming back out from the bedroom. "They're taking the hangar his robes were on to dust it for prints."

"Can you send that robe and his clothes to dust for prints?" Beckett asked.

"Sure," Lanie said as the body was placed in a body bag.

"Beckett," Esposito said, standing in the doorway.

"They're taking him out now," she answered quickly, guessing that the wife needed to talk to her. She waited until Laine left with the body, and nodded to her partner. "Mrs. Ancelotti, I'm so sorry, but I'm wondering if I could talk to you about what happened when you came home?" she said to the vic's wife as she entered her apartment.

"Yes, of course," the woman said, smiling faintly before sitting down on the couch in the living room.

"I'm wondering where you were this morning, between six to eight?" Beckett asked.

"I went to meet a friend for breakfast at her apartment on… on…" Mrs. Ancelotti said, tears starting to run down her face. "I'm sorry."

"It's alright; we can speak to you at another time-" Beckett began.

"No, whatever will help to find who did this…" Mrs. Ancelotti said, drying her eyes. "I went to breakfast with my friend Angela Hodgson. And we then we to Fifth Avenue to shop, I didn't get home until now."

"Are they having their early morning sale this week?" Castle asked cautiously.

The woman nodded and said, "I wouldn't kill my husband. There should be footage of me and my friend."

"What time was it when you left?" Beckett asked.

"Around a quarter to six," Mrs. Ancelotti said simply. "There should be footage of me outside; they have cameras in the hall."

"Okay, thank you for answering our questions," Beckett said, putting her notepad back in her pocket.

"Please, let me know if you find out who it is," the woman said earnestly.

"We will," Beckett promised simply before she and Castle went out into the hallway. "Ryan," she called to him. "There's-"

"Esposito's talking to someone down the hall, said they heard a loud thud, and then saw someone running out of the apartment," he interrupted.

"Where?" Beckett asked, turning and seeing Esposito was only two doors down behind her. "Well?" she asked when he left and the man closed the door.

"Couldn't see much, just confirmed the height we got from the first picture," Esposito replied. "But we got a time, seven thirty-eight, neighbor wasn't sure if it was something he needed to remember."

"Great, so we can rule out Mrs. Ancelotti, though she wasn't really a suspect. Ryan, I need you to get security footage for this hall, she said they have cameras," Beckett said. "Espo, you need to start looking into the people the judge has convicted in the past."

"And you?" Esposito asked.

"I need to ask Mrs. Ancelotti one thing," Beckett replied before she and Castle went back to the apartment. "Luckily I had the pictures with me," she told him.

"I'm getting the feeling though she won't know either one of them," Castle said.

"You never know," Beckett replied with a shrug. "Mrs. Ancelotti?" she asked the woman who was standing at the windows in the living room. "I'm sorry, I forgot to ask you something, do you know these two women?" showing her the pictures of the first two victims.

Taking them, the woman started to speak, then hesitated and finally said, "I've seen them, I don't know them, but I have seen them."

"Where?" Castle asked, a little taken aback to have a connection. "In court?"

"No, no, my husband's been retired for six years," Mrs. Ancelotti said. "No, I remember seeing this girl," she said. "At the Alexandra Theater, this girl there too, but not at the same time. They were winners of a raffle that was going on."

"For what?" Beckett asked.

"Oh, that Beatles tribute band that plays there around this time of year; the Abbey Road Players," Mrs. Ancelotti said.

* * *

"So someone in the band might be the killer?" Alexis asked her father.

"Maybe, it could be the killer's using the shows to pick out his victims," Castle replied. "But Beckett and I are so glad we didn't take Julia to see them."

"Wow, don't tell her about this case," Alexis said.

"Oh we won't, don't worry. So sweetheart, how are things going with studying? Think you're ready for Hindu Mythology tomorrow?" Castle asked.

"Sure, I studied last night and I'm studying right now. Or I was until someone called me," Alexis teased him. "Why did you really call Dad?"

"I just wanted to see when I need to pick you up at the airport," Castle said simply.

"You won't need to, because I'll be getting home on my own. I'll talk to you later Dad, bye," Alexis said.

"Bye," Castle said in exasperation before hanging up.

"Everything okay bro?" Esposito asked as he walked into the break room where Castle was.

"Yeah, what did you find?" he asked.

"That all three vics were Beatles fans," Esposito replied, pouring some coffee. "And they went to shows, but different ones. There were six; the group is popular; and that was just last month, right now they're wrapping up a tour of the east coast, they'll be back tomorrow."

"What about the security footage?" Castle asked as they walked to his desk.

"Ryan's looking at it now," Esposito said absently as he saw his partner walking out of the room. "Got anything?"

"This," Ryan said simply in response.

Looking at the picture past her fiancé, Beckett said, "Gates wants us to look at the group, to see if our witness who actually gave us the name Jerry instead of Easton was right. And she also wants us to talk to the members of the band, to get their alibis."

"That's going to be a problem," Esposito told her. "They're on tour, last show is tonight, they probably won't be back until late tomorrow morning."

"So you could take Julia to school," Castle commented.

"Then let's see what we can find about the band themselves," Beckett said before she turned and went to the room where Ryan had left the security footage on. "Since we have a picture of our killer, it'll be a lot easier," she commented as she switched to the internet and stepped back for Ryan to search.

"Abbey Road… here," the detective said. "Okay, as Ringo Starr there is Bryan Yates, George Harrison is Wes Porter, John Lennon is Robert Basingstoke and Paul McCartney is…"

"There's no information on who's Paul," Castle said as they were all looking down the line of pictures and names.

"Find a phone number and try to contact them," Beckett said before they left the room to go back to their desks. "Esposito, see if tech can look from here to see if someone's hacked into the system to get his picture and name off the site."

"You know it could be someone inside the group, who's in charge of it?" Castle asked.

"An inside job," Beckett said. When he nodded, she went to her desk and went on the same site, going to a list of the crew for the tour of the city. "I need to compare the two lists," she said as she saw there was another list for their out of city performances.

"I can help," Castle said quickly, taking out his phone. "How big is the list of names?"

"About twenty, thirty people," Beckett replied. "Why?"

"I was going to read out the names to you, but we can do this better," Castle said, handing her his phone which had the list of the out of city crew. "What about roadies? The band is pretty popular; they have a link right there to them."

"After this list," Beckett said, looking at both his phone's screen and then her computer. She shook her head saying, "I don't see anyone named Jerry."

"Then maybe it was a pair of people," Castle suggested. "One to hold the so called silver hammer, and once the other guy was inside, he came up behind and hit… no?" he asked his fiancée at her look.

"That would be an interesting theory, but remember the original witness's testimony that the man who called him Jerry was pretty horrified," Beckett said simply. She wasn't surprised when Castle nodded at that, but was when he looked to be thinking something over. "What?" she asked.

"I'm wondering… we do know someone who's name is Jerry," Castle told her.

Taking a deep breath, Beckett shook her head once, briefly, before saying simply, "He's dead Castle, and we haven't had anything from him in almost two years."

"That doesn't mean he's not hiding, biding his time for… the election," Castle said quickly.

"It's not Tyson, Castle, the fact that this man's name is Jerry is just a coincidence," Beckett said, turning back to her computer after handing him back his phone. As she proceeded to look at the list of roadies, she felt his eyes on her and shook her head saying, "This time it's a coincidence Castle, believe me."

Sensing if he pushed her on the matter she'd become annoyed, Castle simply nodded and watched her try to find anyone anywhere at all on the site named Jerry. When she closed the window, he opened his mouth to speak when Ryan called out to them.

"Okay, I got a hold of someone from the fan club for these guys, a Patricia Kellogg, she's in charge of the website," he said as Castle and Beckett came over to him. "She says someone did hack the site, trying to get into the merchandise page they have and also they messed around with the pictures of the band. She's going to send me a picture of the guy who plays Paul, whose name is Jason Sunderland."

"Jerry?" Castle suggested.

"Never heard that nickname for Jason," Beckett said simply. "Wait for a picture. Okay, let us know when you get it, I was trying to look at the list of groupies they have. Yes, there is a list," she said quickly to Ryan's expression. "I guess they follow them everywhere."

"Which kind of begs the question we should have asked in the first place when Esposito told us they were still on their tour; how can anyone connected directly to the band be doing this?" Castle said.

"Another question is why are they having a performance on a Tuesday night?" Ryan asked.

"I can answer the first question and most likely the second at the same time," Beckett said. "Since Friday they've been in Atlantic City, playing at the Jersey Coast Casino."

"It'll take about a two hour drive to get from there to here," Castle said quickly. "If the killer timed it right, he'd get no traffic, could stay overnight and get back in time for today's performance… He could be travelling back right now."

"Was this woman you talked to with them?" Beckett asked.

"No, she was at work," Ryan replied. "I asked because I was thinking along the same lines as you. Should I call her?"

"Actually, I'm thinking we should-" Beckett began.

"Yo, Beckett, got tech to contact that woman, they'll look at the site and see if they can find out who got in. But they're not too optimistic," Esposito said, getting off the phone then.

"I figured," she said with a shrug. "What I was going to say is that we should likely wait until the band gets back tomorrow."

"You sure?" Castle asked.

"I want them here, because they'll be more likely to remember if anyone stepped out. Plus it'll take way too long to get there now," Beckett said, glancing at her watch and seeing it was about time for traffic to start up on the freeways.

"Get them back where they're comfortable, make them slip up about anyone being gone," Castle said.

"Basically, it's why I'm a little hesitant about contacting the Atlantic City PD," Beckett replied with a nod. "Did you get the picture?" she asked Ryan as he was suddenly typing furiously on his computer.

"I did and… does that look the same…" the detective said.

"It's close," Beckett said with a slight frown.

"Almost," Castle said, sharing a look with his fiancée as they considered the picture from the e-mail next to the security footage picture that Ryan held up next to it. The two men were almost identical, and he had to wonder if Beckett was going to need to forget her hesitation and end up reaching out to the Atlantic City police after all.


	6. Late Nights All Alone

Looking up at the books on the shelf high above her head, Julia pursed her lips and then glanced down at the ones that were below her. Nodding her head, she put her feet on the lowest shelf and started to step up to the second one as Martha walked into Castle's office where she was beginning her climb.

"Julia, what are you doing?" Martha said, going over to her quickly and picking her up.

"Can I see Castle's book?" Julia asked before she was set down on the floor.

"Oh, I don't think so; your mom told me she doesn't want you reading his books yet. And she wouldn't want you to be climbing the shelves either. Neither would Richard," Martha said slightly sternly.

"I'm sorry. But is there bad things in them? His books?" Julia asked, about to protest before she guessed the reason why she wasn't being allowed to read them.

"Well, a little bit, but they're not really books for kids to read," Martha said, taking her out into the living room. "Though you know, you should tell him to write for kids."

"Would he?" Julia asked interestedly, forgetting what she'd been about to ask.

"I don't know, but if you told him James Patterson just had his second book for kids released, that might make him," Martha said. She was going to say more when the sound of the door opening interrupted her and she looked up saying, "I thought I was going to have to try and make dinner for us," as her son stepped aside to let his fiancée go inside first.

"You mean order dinner," Castle commented, taking the overnight bag that Beckett was holding as Julia rushed over to them.

"Mommy!" the little girl squealed in joy as her mother scooped her up into her arms. "You're here before it got dark!"

"Well, sunset isn't for a while longer, but we did sweetie," Beckett said, before sharing a kiss with her.

"We-" Castle started to say. "Thank you Mother," he said as she took the two boxes of pizza he'd been carrying with another overnight bag. "We would have been sooner but we headed out for some pizza."

"And you went pretty far if you got Stefano's," Martha commented.

"Ooh, I wish Alexis was here," Julia said as she went to Castle. "Can we send her some pizza?"

"I wish, but we'll have it when she comes home," he told the little girl before kissing her on the cheek. "Want to help me set the table?" he asked her.

"Before we get settled with dinner, I should tell you both that I caught Julia trying to climb up and get your books," Martha said, directing the last to her son.

"Julia, you know you're not supposed to do that," Beckett said as the little girl buried her face into Castle's neck. "And why do you want to read his books?" She looked at her fiancé when their daughter shrugged, and said, "Maybe you'll tell us after we've eaten."

Gathering around the table, Castle and Beckett didn't say anything to Julia about the incident, and it wasn't until they'd all taken a few bites of the pizza that she did speak. "Mommy, Castle, who's Nikki Heat?" she asked.

"Now we know," Castle said, wiping his lips with his napkin quickly. He and Beckett had discussed whether or not they should tell their daughter about the character based on Beckett, and decided to wait until she was older; or else found out first as she seemed to have. He turned to the little girl and asked, "Who told you about that?"

"Johnny said his mommy and daddy were talking about the book you write last time," Julia said, looking confused.

"They meant the newest book he wrote," Beckett explained.

"They weren't wondering why he hasn't released a new one were they?" Martha asked, looking at her son pointedly.

Shaking his head slightly at that, Castle then turned to Julia and asked, "What did they say?" not wanting to talk about why _Hamptons Heat_ was still not finished.

"His mommy said that my mommy was Nikki Heat," Julia said before she scrunched up her nose and then corrected herself saying, "He said she said based on, but we don't know what that means."

"It means that Nikki Heat is sort of like her," Castle explained. "When I met your mom, I saw a lot of things about her I liked for a character, and I took that and made Nikki Heat. But she's not your mom exactly."

"Oh," Julia said. "Is there someone like you in the book?"

"This should be interesting," Martha said with a slight laugh, since the little girl had been looking at Castle. "How far are you going to explain that?"

"There is," Beckett said. "Did Johnny say his mother mentioned the name Jameson Rook?"

"Yeah, that's you?" Julia asked Castle.

"Based on me," he quickly corrected.

"Based, it's pretty close," Martha told Julia.

"Are they like you are in real life?" the little girl then asked.

"Sort of," Beckett said after she and Castle exchanged a look. "But sweetie, those books are for older people, so why don't you wait until you can read longer books, and see if you still want to read his?"

"Kay. Oh! Martha said you should write a kids book," Julia said quickly.

"Is this because of Patterson's book?" Castle asked his mother.

"That's what she said," Julia replied, nodding rapidly.

"I'll see," Castle replied simply. "Speaking of books though, tell us what you looked at in the Spain book."

Julia didn't see the change in topic, as she was eager to share what her class had learned about from the book. When the meal was over and the table was being cleared, she said to her mother, "What about my dress to take to show Celia?"

"I'll pack it tonight," Beckett promised. "Just remind me. Now though, why don't you say the alphabet again? For more practice."

As Julia proceeded to recite, Martha pulled the little girl with her to the couch where she said, once she was finished, "Very good, I know you'll pass your test with flying colors darling."

"Thank you," Julia said, leaning against her legs. "Now what do we do?"

"Since you don't have any homework, we can always play a game," Castle said, handing his mother a mug of coffee.

"Which one?" Julia asked eagerly.

"Yes, go get it," Beckett said when her fiancé looked at her questioningly. "This was going to be your graduation present, but we decided the show that night will be."

"This can be an early present," Julia said.

"Then it's an early present," Castle said, setting down the game.

"Perfection… I seem to remember Alexis having this when she was little, and you never getting it completed if there's a timer," Martha said.

"Yeah, it's that game," Castle said.

"Alexis was telling me about the smaller version of the game they have now, apparently May's girls love it. But this one is for her age, so it's more of a challenge," Beckett said as Castle began to take the plastic wrapping off the box. "And she told me about him having trouble with it too."

"Hey, Alexis did," Castle said quickly in defense as he pulled out the game itself. "And I bet you will too."

"Probably, since I've never played it before," Beckett said, taking the plastic pieces from him as he opened the bags they were in. "Okay sweetie," she said, turning her attention to their daughter. "What you need to do is set all of these pieces; or try to put them back; before the timer runs out and this pops up."

"Is it hard to do?" Julia asked.

"At first, but you keep playing you'll get better," Castle replied. "Want to go first?" He wasn't surprised when Julia quickly shook her head and he turned to his fiancée.

"Oh no, you're first, you've played it the most out of us…" Beckett began before trailing off.

"I never really played it, but loved to watch Alexis when she played, so I get the idea of the game," Martha said, waving her hand.

"Okay, I guess it's me, the last time I played this Alexis was seven, so that was thirteen years ago," Castle said, pointing to Beckett.

"You suck all the joy out of watching you," she said, before reaching over and squeezing his hand to make sure he knew she was kidding.

Pushing down the board, Castle set the timer and then began, not surprised when Julia leaned against the edge of the table to watch him. He was a little taken aback when she started to cheer him on, and he had to laugh when she let out a cry of surprise when the timer stopped and the board popped back up, pushing the pieces he'd managed to set in with it. "Not too bad," he said as he got all the pieces. "Want to try now?"

"Now you Mommy," Julia said, shaking her head.

Beckett did about as well as Castle did, a surprise for her since it was her first time playing. But when the board popped up she laughed with him as their daughter pretended to get scared again. "Okay sweetie," she said as she handed the pieces to Martha. "Your turn to try."'

"Don't worry if it's hard the first time, you'll get better as you go like I said," Castle said, setting the board. "Ready? Go!"

With Castle and Beckett looking on, Julia tried to fit the pieces into the spaces, Martha holding them for her in her hands. She became a little panicked at first and almost shoved a round shape into a rectangle space, but then recovered. She didn't get as many as her mother and Castle had, but when the timer ran out, she clapped her hands and begged to get to go again.

"One more game Julia," Beckett said, finishing her turn the little girl had insisted she take.

"Kay," Julia said with a sigh. She had gotten slightly better the last two turns, and that last game she managed to get a few more pieces in before the board popped back up. She sighed as her mother put the game away and turned to Martha. "Do I have to go to bed?" she asked.

"I don't say, that's up to your mother and Richard," she replied easily. "And since they're saying it's time, I think you do kiddo."

Sighing again, Julia wrapped her arms tightly around Martha's neck and said, "Thank you for picking me up. But I won't see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow morning," Martha promised. "And then Thursday night I'll see you."

"You don't pick me up?" Julia asked.

"Your grandpapa is going to," Beckett reminded her. "He wants to see your dance class."

"Oh, but you will come to see when I graduate?" Julia queried shyly.

"Of course, I have my Friday completely free, no classes, or parties… well, until that night of course," Martha said.

"I told you to come with us," Castle said, coming back from his office and putting the game away.

"No, no, I'm in agreement with Jim, you three should have a night out together with your little girl who is going to be in the first grade," Martha said, hugging her at the end. "I can't believe it; you're growing up so fast. And I mean the same for your clothes. Good thing the year is almost over, your mother would have to get you a new jumper for school."

"I'm growing that much?" Julia asked in surprise, looking over to her mother and Castle.

"Pretty much," he said, Beckett nodding with him.

"And you know sleeping helps you grow taller," Martha said. "So sweet dreams and I'll see you tomorrow morning for breakfast. Goodnight Julia."

"Night Martha," Julia replied with a smile before she kissed her cheek. She took Castle's hand, and walked up the stairs with him as her mother trailed behind. "How much am I gonna grow?" she asked as they went into Alexis' room and then the bathroom.

"No one ever knows how tall they'll be," Castle commented as he filled the tub.

"He's right, you could be taller than I am, shorter, the same height," Beckett said as she helped Julia out of her shirt and jeans she'd worn to school. "Did Alexis' schools ever have a casual week?"

"Her middle school, and like Julia's school, it was only the last week of school," Castle commented, folding the t-shirt with horses running across it. "Also still pretty strict, Julia's lucky she can wear Beatles shirts."

"I think so too," the little girl said as her mother scooped her up and set her into the water. "Can I play?"

"Yes," Beckett said, handing Julia the set of bath crayons Castle had bought. "I really hope Alexis doesn't mind this," she commented as she began to rub Julia's back with her washcloth and the little girl started to color along the side of the tub.

"It does wash out," Castle said. "And since I'm not letting her use those every time she takes a bath, it'll be okay."

"Did you tell Alexis you're gonna get a new house?" Julia asked.

"No," Beckett said simply. "Remember we told you we're not sure we are yet."

"But you have to," Julia said simply.

"I told you that explanation wasn't going to work," Beckett shot back to her fiancé.

"Hey, I forget she's insanely smart," Castle said, holding his hands up as their daughter giggled at his expression. "We don't really want to say anything yet to anyone, until we're sure what we're going to do."

"So keep it a secret too?" Julia asked.

"Yes, but really, your mom and Alexis will probably figure out; if they haven't already; that we might need a new place," Beckett said. "But they should be okay with it once we assure them-"

"They'll have rooms at our new place," Castle said with her. He nodded and said, "You're right, they will be."

"What're you thinking?" Beckett asked, taking the crayon Julia held out to her since she'd finished washing the little girl.

"What about your dad?" Castle asked.

"What about him?" Beckett said.

"I'm wondering if we should get a room for him," Castle commented. "Since he would want to be with his granddaughter, he could stay the night and… no? Never mind," he said quickly when he saw Beckett was shaking her head. "Then what about this," he said. "I'm thinking we should open up the house for Fourth of July."

"What do you mean by that, a party?" Beckett asked. "I think it's a little bit early for us to be hosting parties."

"Would you do that with me?" Castle asked.

Smiling a little as Julia washed away the tic-tac-toe game they'd been playing, Beckett said, "I wouldn't have much choice would I?"

"Your smile gave you away," Castle said, going over to her and kneeling next to the tub with her. He kissed her gently before they shared another one and pulled away from each other.

"I would, but I wouldn't want to throw too many," Beckett said, running her hand over the back of Julia's head.

"They'll be mostly kid friendly," Castle said. "Speaking of that, we need to get a really big living room for parties. Because once we're living together we need to throw some awesome parties for her, for her birthday."

"We will," Beckett said, smiling when Julia looked up at them. "Why don't you explain what you meant by open up the beach house?"

"You know there are four bedrooms, but remember that door to the extension the owners before me did?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, I asked you the first time I went and you just said they were rooms. I thought they were things like rec rooms… or something," Beckett said. "They're bedrooms?"

"There are three more, the last one's a library," Castle said. "But the library's at the other end of the house, plus with just me, my mother and Alexis, those rooms were never needed."

"Who're you thinking of asking to come for the holiday?" Beckett asked as she had Julia get out of the tub then.

"You dad, and then what do you think about Celia and her parents?" Castle asked.

"Could they?" Julia asked excitedly as he dried her off.

"If they want to," Beckett said. "But are the rooms ready at all?"

"They just need to be cleaned, and they're set," Castle said. "I have to admit," he said as he took Julia's clothes that his fiancée handed him. "I've thought about actually knocking down that wall with the doorway, but never thought it would work with just three of us. But now that it's five, we could do that; could invite the boys and Lanie to stay after the wedding."

"To make up for the fact that we haven't told them about us?" Beckett asked. When Castle nodded she followed him to the bedroom and said, "Okay, we'll ask Anita and George on Friday when we can, see what they say. But sweetie," she said to their daughter as Castle picked her up and set her on the bed. "They might have other plans and not be able to go."

"I know, but I hope they can," Julia said, jumping up and down once before getting on her knees. "Do I get a story?" she asked eagerly.

"Just five pages tonight," Castle said, handing Beckett the book they'd been reading to Julia. "But I'm sure once school is over, we'll let her stay up a little longer," he said slowly.

"The key word being a little, she'll have day camp remember," Beckett reminded him. She sat back then with Julia on her lap, and read from the book _Key to the Treasure_ ; a book Castle had as a child and had given to Alexis, who'd given it to Julia and one Beckett herself had as a child. As she finished the fifth page, she wasn't too surprised when Julia looked sleepy, and she moved to lay her down on the bed before she let Castle lean over and share a kiss with her.

"Night Julia, I love you," he said to her quickly; as he could tell that she'd likely fall asleep soon.

Murmuring a goodnight, too tired to nod her head, Julia smiled briefly at her mother as she leaned over and kissed her lips gently, moving her own in return just barely. "Love you," she sighed before she yawned widely.

"Love you Julia, sweet dreams," Beckett said, smiling before she pressed a kiss to her forehead and then stood to tuck her in.

That time it didn't take very long for their daughter to fall asleep, and Castle and Beckett were going down the stairs to see Martha sitting at the counter, seeming to be waiting for them.

"So tell me about your case," she said to the two as her son began to make coffee.

"Go ahead, I don't know why you bother to look to me for permission," Beckett said with a wry smile, shaking her head at her fiancé's glance in her direction.

"Only when you're here," Martha said, raising her cup of coffee.

As he finished two mugs, Castle explained the case, and also what they'd gotten since seeing the picture of the man who was Paul in the band. Beckett helped explain there, as she'd been the one to go to Gates to show her the two pictures they had; the captain agreeing there wasn't enough seen of the suspect's face to conclusively identify him as Sunderland. Gates had also agreed that Beckett's idea of letting the band return would be the best thing, as there wasn't really anything to say that the killer was a band member and they couldn't really hold anyone to investigate or interrogate at that point; plus she didn't want members of the band fleeing before they could speak to them.

"And that was the rest of our day," Beckett finished with. "Esposito and Ryan contacting the FBI to see if there were other homicides following the same line as our vics, science student, teacher and judge. But nothing close to it of course. And then Castle and I took another look at the footage we were able to get and the phone records of all the vics."

"And nothing still?" Martha asked.

"No, but though we're not getting too far into finding out who the killer is," Castle said, sitting down at the table with Beckett. "I am really glad there haven't been any other murders."

"And this Sunderland, is he back in Atlantic City?" Martha said.

"He is," Beckett said. "As far as the band's manager; who's with them; knows, he was busy all last night with a… friend."

"Ah, I see," Martha replied.

"We confirmed that, but then again," Castle said. "Enough money passes hands, anyone will say anything."

"I'd love to talk to this friend, but again, we don't really have much reason to," Beckett said. "We put in a request to the hotel and they're sending us footage in the morning of yesterday after their show that night to about one this afternoon."

"He went back to his room?" Martha said in surprise. When they nodded she then said, "I thought you didn't want to alert the band or anyone else to your investigation."

"The manager was with Sunderland that night," Castle said. "And Beckett posed as an ex of his; she never gave him a name so as far as he knows, an ex is trying to find him, if the manager tells him. He'll never know which one though."

"And does Gates know you did that?" Martha said.

"No, that was all his idea," Beckett said, nodding to her fiancé. "Well, his and Esposito's."

"That makes sense," Martha replied. "Well, since I can imagine you two will want to look things over for your case, I'll say goodnight."  
"Goodnight Martha," Beckett said as Castle said goodnight as well. "I'm sure you're expecting me to want to take a look at this case," she told him once they were alone.

"I am," he replied as she went to her work bag. "But you know we pretty much have taken Sunderland off the list as a prime suspect."

"I know, but something really bothers me," Beckett said, taking out a paper.

"The no financial records after yesterday morning?" Castle asked. "Yeah, that's annoyed me too because I don't see him paying for that 'friend' by cash; and if he did, there'd be a record."

"Unless he borrowed the money," he and Beckett said at the same time as they looked at each other.

"Or someone's credit card," Castle continued. "Or it was a threesome and the other guy paid."

"We'd have to ask him tomorrow. But really, nothing at all?" Beckett said as she looked at the paper.

"Unless," Castle began. "What if the band's popularity has gone down, and this is something to bring back the fans. What if they're trying to spring a Paul is dead hoax?"

"Wow, Castle, I never thought of that," Beckett said, looking at him in surprise.

Opening his mouth as he was shocked to hear her buying into that theory, Castle then frowned as his fiancée smiled at the paper in her hands and said, "Okay, so it's not that, but he is there with the band and…"

"And?" Beckett asked as he looked at his watch.

"Too late, they're performing their show," Castle said.

"What is it?" Beckett asked in slight irritation as he was silent then.

"No, I just thought, what if they were given cash before the show?" Castle said to her.

"That would make sense," Beckett replied. "They're only playing two shows, so if they were paid before the first one, it would explain why there's no record of him using a card for his accounts. But would he carry around that much on him, I'm guessing it's more than just hundreds."

Looking at each other, Castle and Beckett were quiet for only a few seconds before they said, "Hotel safe," at the same time.

"Okay, so tomorrow, we'll talk with him, get the name of his friend and clear him completely; also see if he used the safe in his room. In the meantime, we might need to contact the FBI, to see if it's possible for them to search for the side of a face," Beckett said, putting her folder away in her bag as they stood up.

"Did we ever get anything from the hospital where the first vic worked?" Castle asked.

"Just that she had a date with a guy named Bob," Beckett said. "I told Ryan to head there to try and find him, once we started to realize we were focusing too much on Sunderland."

"Great, so, shower?" Castle asked as he took her bag from her.

"You're putting that away, I'm taking a shower," Beckett said simply. "And don't come inside with me, I'm being serious."

Castle breathed out a little as she walked to his room, watching her closely, before he hurried to get her bag inside the closet. Going after her, he schooled himself not to run, disappointed she didn't want him to join her, but he knew he had enough time to inveigle her still.

* * *

Sitting on top of the bed, Beckett pressed down on the strings of her mandolin to form D, then looked up as she could hear Castle talking in the bathroom. As she heard his half of the conversation, she bit at her lower lip hard, to keep from laughing as he was trying yet again to wheedle from his daughter when she'd be returning home.

"No, I realize you do have to move all your stuff back home, but since you were staying at Diana's, you didn't really need as much stuff as you did when you… well, yes, I'm sure you'll want to see everything in the city one last time. But we'll go back; Kate and I have already talked about that remember? We might try and go next Spring Break, make it a tradition every year," Castle was saying. "But I just want to know when you're coming into JFK, so I can take my car and pick you up, that way you don't have to spend money on a cab. Okay, okay, I'll try and stop, but really Alexis, you have to promise me you're coming home at the very least. Alright, yeah, I'll give my love to Julia. Love you kiddo, bye."

Turning her attention back to her mandolin, Beckett began to strum the opening of a song and only looked up when her fiancé came out, looking irked. "So no luck," she said simply, since she knew he'd realize she was able to hear the conversation.

"Not really," Castle said in frustration as he got onto the bed next to her. "But… there's not much I can do, she's an adult now. Unless I flew across the country and brought her back. But I get the feeling she really wouldn't like that."

"I don't think Julia would either," Beckett said simply, looking at her instrument as she switched chords.

"What about you?" Castle asked as he watched her for a moment.

"Oh, I think I'd survive, I get the feeling you'd only go to grab her and drag her to the airport, so you'd be back," Beckett replied, not looking at him.

Watching the smile that played on his fiancée's lips, Castle didn't say anything to that, instead watched her play the song he'd watched her struggle with for the past two weeks since she'd gotten the chords. Her fingers sliding up and down the neck of the dark blue instrument, he said, "I told you that was a good one."

"You did," Beckett said, pushing the papers with the song on them apart so she could see the notes and chords. "And stop saying that; for the past six months every time I play this you won't stop reminding me that you found it."

"Just as long as you agree with me that it doesn't look like Julia's at all," Castle said, smiling as he knew his fiancée was joking.

"I know," Beckett said. "The red here helps," she told him, tapping the patch of dark red next to the bottom of the neck.

"Do you have it?" Castle asked as she went back to forming chords but didn't play.

"I think so," Beckett replied easily. "I'm assuming you want me to play?" she asked as there was a long stretch of silence between them.

"By all means," Castle said.

"I'm not singing," Beckett warned him before she began to play the song _Dehra Dun_. She had become interested in the music to that song when she and Castle had finished watching the _Anthology_ two weeks earlier, the last DVD being the bonus features. George Harrison; whose song it was; had played a brief snippet of it; but hers and Castle's interests had been piqued and they'd listened to the full unreleased song online. Since the singer had been playing it on a ukulele, she had decided to try it on a mandolin, but had to adjust a little to playing it on the eight stringed instrument. Though she said she wasn't going to sing, she couldn't help humming it, not realizing she was doing so until she finished.

"Very nice," Castle said. "Should I applaud?"

"That's okay," Beckett said, setting the papers on her nightstand. "I get the feeling Julia's going to want me to teach her that on guitar once she can play that."

"And then she'll want to learn how to play on the mandolin," Castle commented, not surprised when she started playing a few random chords. "We'll have to have little concerts for our parents and friends; you two performing for us."

"That reminds me," Beckett said suddenly. "I've wanted to ask, what did Espo talk to you about before we left the building earlier today?"

"Oh, thanks for reminding me," Castle said in reply, sitting up a little more. "First, tell me what Lanie talked to you about at the morgue."

Sighing, Beckett stopped playing and said, "She tried to set me up on a blind date." She then opened her mouth to speak and hesitated before saying, "And I… agreed."

"Okay, then that clears things up for me," Castle said quickly, wrapping his arm around her. "Esposito set me up on a 'blind date' as well," he said, putting those two words into air quotes. "And said she was a friend of his, and old friend, and is apparently hot."

"And Lanie told me," Beckett said, having suspected that her blind date was with Castle when he hadn't answered her question first. "That the guy she was setting me up with was pretty nice, and he loved kids."

"Pretty nice?" Castle asked in confusion.

"That's how she worded it," Beckett said. "But I agreed because I've run out of ideas to delay this, she knows I'm used to being a mother, and apparently I have to be lonely at this point."

"She told you you need to get laid right?" Castle asked, sensing from his fiancée's tone what she wasn't saying.

"Not in that exact way, but pretty much," Beckett replied. "And you?"

"Espo seemed pretty desperate," Castle said. "Which surprised the hell out of me; I've never seen him like that. So I'm going to guess Lanie was pretty determined and got him to be too. But yeah, I agreed. So what do you want to do?"

Taking in a deep breath Beckett said, "I think you have the same idea as me. Agree to go wherever-"

"Le Circe, six thirty tomorrow," Castle said.

"Really, did he say to have the date then?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"Basically," Castle said. "Which of course means-"

"They'll be there," they said at the same time.

"So what'll we do with them there?" Castle asked his fiancée.

"Lanie's been easing up on her attempts to set me up on dates," Beckett said slowly at first. "I agreed to this, because I thought that maybe we could do something to get her to stop trying to do that altogether."

"Has she ever talked about other guys lately when she has tried?" Castle said.

"No, that's the funny thing, I've told her that I don't really want to be set up on a date with you, yet she persists," Beckett said. "I don't think she'll forget that conversation we had a couple years back about you."

"It doesn't sound like it. So you want to go," Castle said.

"Let's meet there, but instead of sitting down, I'll leave first, you can go a little after," Beckett told him.

"How am I going to stay longer?" Castle asked.

"Talk to someone," Beckett replied with a shrug. "If it's a woman, so much the better. But," she told him, her tone becoming a little serious. "Don't make her think she's got a chance."

"Yeah, wasn't planning on it," Castle replied. "Since I had the idea; since we won't get to eat there; why don't I pick up Remy's on the way back and we can eat on the roof."

"That would be nice," Beckett said with a slight smile.

"And who knows, you might get laid after all, like Lanie said-," Castle began before his fiancée shoved him over to his laughter. "I'm kidding. Okay, we're set with what we're going to do; I just hope Espo doesn't check to see if I made the reservation."

"If they go that far then we're really going to need to sit down with them and have a talk," Beckett said, not surprised her fiancé nodded in agreement. "I just have to wonder her reaction when I walk out."

"I'll try and see," Castle said simply. They were quiet for a while, before he looked down at the mandolin in her hands still and asked, "Should we get some sleep?"

Glancing up at him, Beckett smiled slightly and leaned over, kissing him briefly on the lips. She nearly laughed at his startled expression, but the urge to do so was gone when he quickly became serious and grabbed her, pulling her to him to kiss her hard. But before they got too close to each other he groaned and she asked, "What is it?" in concern.

"The frets," Castle said as he held his hand to his chest, taking the instrument from her and starting to lean over.

"Castle, if you leave that on the nightstand…" Beckett began warningly.

"Okay, okay," he said with a slightly frustrated sigh. He went to the case on his dresser and closed it before going back to the bed quickly. He was tempted to jump onto it with her, but instead decided to do something else.

A little surprised when he suddenly walked slowly around the bed to his side, Beckett frowned a little as he sat next to her. But then quickly realized what he was doing before she said, "So," very simply to let him begin.

"You didn't let your hair down," Castle said simply. He almost smiled before he caught himself at Beckett's surprise at the comment, and continued with, "Even in the shower you didn't."  
"I wasn't washing my hair, so why should I?" Beckett said with a shrug.

"Mind if I do that for you?" Castle asked.

Opening her mouth to answer, Beckett then closed it and finally nodded once before she turned around, wondering how they'd gone from that kiss to that point. But Castle was carefully pulling her hair from the bun she'd set it in, and then running his fingers through her locks as they fell around her shoulders. "So I'm wondering," she finally said, her voice shaking a little as he was carefully running his hand over her hair. "Why this fetish with my hair?"

Not answering, Castle pushed her hair away from her right shoulder and leaned over, pulling on her pink jersey shirt, until enough skin was exposed. Leaning over, he pressed his lips to it, not surprised when Beckett shuddered at the first touch before she suddenly pulled away and turned to him. Before she could do anything though, he was quick to grab her around the waist and he went to the junction of her neck and shoulder, sucking hungrily at first on the skin there.

Breathing out heavily, Beckett held onto Castle tightly as his hands felt like they were all over her. One was underneath her shirt, and the other was grasping at her thigh, sliding up to the hem of her shorts. She felt him pull away slowly suddenly, and watched as he raised his head enough to kiss her, much harder than they'd done the first time. She threw her arms around him tightly as both his hands were under her shirt, starting to pull up on it though they weren't really close to stopping their kiss. Finally though, she pulled away, watching him as he got her shirt off her and to the floor quickly. She did the same with his, not surprised he didn't really protest that, and they seemed to fall into one another, kissing ardently as he pulled her onto his lap.

Feeling Beckett's legs wrapping around his waist, Castle shuddered in pleasure as she moved her hips gently to him, and he suddenly switched gears. He let that kiss go on as long as it could before he pulled away and then made her stand up on her side of the bed. "Easier to do it this way," he said.

"For me maybe," Beckett said simply before she slapped his hands away from the waistband of her shorts. She pulled them off as Castle sat up on the edge of the bed, watching her. "How many times," she began once she had discarded everything. "And you still act like you've never seen me before," she teased him as she straddled his lap.

"Oh no, I have a pretty good memory, so I'm not forgetting you," Castle said as she started to kiss at his shoulders and neck. "I just love seeing you like this, and having you all to myself."

"Hmm, I think I can safely say the same," Beckett said, going up to his lips then. They kissed deeply, but not so roughly as before, until they needed to breathe again and they parted. She was a little surprised when he moved them, laying her down on the middle of the bed after placing some pillows behind her. "You know you're still dressed."

"Not enough for me to go outside that door though," Castle said in return before they were both working to push his pants off his hips. He let her take over when she took his lips in a kiss, and they tangled their tongues together for a brief moment in her mouth before he pulled away to get rid of the last of his clothes. Going back to her, he kissed her deeply again, but kept it brief before kissing down the side of her neck. He diverted from his path, nipping at her racing pulse, before going down her collarbone and shoulders. He was a little surprised when she took his hand and placed it on her breast, but took it in stride and gently squeezed it before she moaned softly. Groaning himself, he nuzzled her lips and without realizing he was saying it, murmured, " _Kate… love_."

Though she waited for him to continue, it was a little bit of a shock when Castle didn't say anything else before he started to kiss her hard. Beckett couldn't really say anything to that as she wrapped her arms around him tightly while they struggled a little between one another. Finally she was able to slide her tongue into his mouth where they rolled around each other a little before going back to hers. It was then they parted, needing to breathe badly. Pressing their foreheads together she could feel his hot breath against her, and she whispered, "Do we need to wait?"

Instead of answering that, Castle moved his head to the side, brushing his lips in a straight path down her cheek, neck and finally to her breasts. He could feel her tensing up as he lightly flicked his tongue out to both her nipples, her legs moving up against his thighs in response. He moved to take her right nipple, suckling at it as his hand reached in between them, and slid down to the apex of her legs. He began to slowly stoke her, feeling even more of a reaction that time as her hips slammed against his. "I just want to make sure you're ready," he told her, pulling away from her chest which he'd taken his time stimulating.

"Then check to see if you did," Beckett said, biting her lower lip briefly. She nearly smiled at the eager look in Castle's eyes at her direct permission, but it never manifested as he seemed to race down her body, kissing her wildly as he went. She felt his lips against her folds, and trembled as she gripped the bed underneath her tightly. His mouth opened, and when she felt his tongue running in a straight line, she nearly screamed as it was more stimulation than she'd gotten so far that night. "Castle, you… now you're sure, hurry," she said, nearly gasping out the last word as she pulled on his shoulders to bring him up to her.

Kissing her, Castle moved to press his body against hers instead of entering her, and feeling her groan against his lips he knew she was frustrated. But he kept their hips pressed close together, even when they parted, and he looked to see how far he'd pushed her. He was a little surprised to see her eyes were closed, but a second later he was groaning loudly as her hand slipped between them, and managed to make him move away from her enough to grasp his erection in her hand. When she proceeded to stroke him, he was a little unsure of how to proceed, since he was enjoying her ministrations greatly. But finally, he remembered exactly how much she was ready for him, and decided he'd waited long enough. So he reached in between them, and took both her hands, laying them next to her head as they stared at each other. Feeling her arching up against him, he finally breathed out and said, "Help me."

Though she didn't have a chance to reply to that, Beckett allowed him to take her hand, bringing it back down to where their bodies were nearly joined. She took over then, and grasped his length firmly in her hand before positioning him. She closed her eyes tightly as she let go of him once he proceeded to slide inside of her, and she couldn't help the slight moan that escaped her before his hips were firmly cradled against her own. "Castle," she whispered, kissing him deeply. She wasn't surprised that first thrust was very easy, almost careful; she welcomed it as she realized it was what she wanted, not even knowing that when they'd started though. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she tilted her head back as he took her left leg, placing it around his waist as she began to match his thrusts.

Trailing his lips down Beckett's neck since he had ready access to it, Castle felt her other leg wrapping around his legs, and he changed the angle of his hips suddenly. He sank into her, feeling her tensing up immediately in response as he managed to brush against her clit at the same time. He moved down a little further until he was at her breasts, brushing his lips over the tops of them before she loosened her hold. "Do you… want me to," he asked, wanting to tease her a little.

"I think you know… _Castle_ ," Beckett started to say in slight annoyance before she slid into his name, gasping it as he took her right breast a little roughly. He was still moving in an easy, measured rhythm against her, and she had to dig her nails into the backs of his shoulders at the marked difference. She looked down at him, watching as his hand came up to start fondling her other mound, not really being that gentle with it. But it didn't hurt; the coarseness of his touch was a stronger jolt than just a simple caress. Neither was more pleasurable than the other, and it had the same result, her body feeling like it was literally throbbing from head to toe. So when his hand went from her chest to the apex of her legs, she was tensing up roughly as his fingers were joining him in being gentle. "You… oh god… Rick," she moaned as he moved away from her breasts then. At his shudder she pulled him to her lips and they kissed passionately while they were moving steadily still, pressing hard against each other when their hips met.

Pulling away, Castle went to his fiancée's ear, nibbling at the lobe gently as she tensed up underneath him. "I'm hoping you're feeling the same… I am," he said, having to pause and swallow roughly as he was staring down at her. There was a slight sheen of sweat covering her by then, and he suddenly got an idea. "Don't be mad at me," he whispered to her before he slowed down. He watched Beckett closely, making sure she wasn't going to kill him for doing that. He hadn't stopped, but he was moving very little, and he was rigid against her as the sensation of them moving together so slowly was a shock.

Running her hands over the back of his head, Beckett found herself struggling slightly to even up with him. Her muscles were straining to just barely move as he was doing, and she hooked her arms up around his shoulders to have some kind of leverage to do that. She was a little startled when he suddenly moved, and they were turned around, both on their knees. Not bothering to try and figure out how he'd been able to do that so fast, she started to move on him, not needing any other help to keep at the same slow pace that he'd been. She kissed him hard, feeling Castle's arms wrapping around her tightly, holding her against him as they went a little crazy. They were parting and kissing again a number of times, not letting much time pass between each before they finally calmed down and then relaxed, kissing slowly. She heard him murmur, "Love," and nothing else, making her wonder for a brief second what exactly he meant by that. Before she could try and think about that, he was kissing her hard, making her lips throb as their tongues met inside her mouth.

Reaching down to her back slowly, Castle pulled away from their heated kiss, to catch her gaze as he carefully cupped her ass in his hands. Squeezing it tightly, once, he got the reaction he was hoping for, a quick jerk against him and he was moving, turning them back around so her back was on the mattress. He kissed her hard, and sped up slightly, since he could feel they were getting closer and closer, even with the slowest pace he'd ever had them at. Kissing at her neck, he slid down to the hollow of her throat, nipping at the edge of it he could feel the cool aquamarine against his lips, and he pulled back, pressing his forehead to hers. "I love you Kate," he murmured against her lips.

"I love you too… Rick," Beckett whispered back to him, her breath catching as his fingers were at her clit again, rubbing her there determinedly. She was pressing her body back against the bed as he kissed her again, and when they parted, his teeth nibbling at her lower lip seemed to be the last little push she needed, and she was soon arching her back roughly before crying out his name. Her climax was a shock, as her body moved a lot faster than it had been, and she wasn't aware that her fiancé had stopped moving.

Watching her closely, Castle was having a hard time reining himself in as she was writhing against him and he could feel her orgasm easily since he was still. He wasn't too surprised when she stopped, and he was struck again by how beautiful she was having taken her pleasure; it was a constant thought he'd had since they had become lovers.

"You didn't…" Beckett said, before realizing what he was doing. She hissed slightly as he proceeded to move then, and she wrapped her arms around him saying, "You're always rough when you start again," since it wasn't they first time they'd done that.

"I have to be," Castle said simply. He kissed her hard, and could feel her moving with him easily. When they needed to breathe, he shot down to her neck, kissing at it hungrily before biting at her collarbone once. Soothing that with his tongue, he wasn't surprised when she grabbed him tightly to her, both her legs around his waist. Moving inside her, he finally couldn't take it and went up to her ear whispering to her, "You feel too good Kate, I want you with me, right now," almost growling out a command to her. He moved to her lips and brushed his against her before he pulled away, feeling her arching her back slightly. He sped up somewhat, and couldn't stop himself as his self control abruptly snapped, and he was thrusting against her as hard as he could.

Her nails digging into his skin slightly, Beckett cried out his name as she joined him shortly, not sure why exactly she was climaxing so quickly after the first. But though she couldn't explain why, she didn't really care, as both of them orgasming so intensely together was making her literally dizzy. It was something of a relief when they stopped, as she could get hold of herself, and she felt Castle; his face pressed against her neck where he'd been literally chanting her name. She stroked the back of his head, not surprised when he shuddered once in response to that, and said, "You know you could have just fucked me."

"You never asked," Castle said, teasing her back. He raised his head when she laughed slightly and kissed her, feeling her hands on his cheeks. "You know," he murmured, nuzzling her lips with his. "I find myself looking forward to tomorrow night."

Waiting for him to move next to her, Beckett turned onto her side and said, "Of course you are, you're expecting a repeat performance of tonight."

"I am not," Castle said. When his fiancée just looked at him with her eyebrow slightly raised he breathed out a mock irritated sigh and said, "Okay, I am, but what I was talking about is having dinner on the roof."

"We've done that before, oh, I remember," Beckett said quickly. She had to smile then as she and Castle had been having dinner at the beginning of April on the roof. It had started to rain, and they'd had to run inside and also order in. "You have to admit, it didn't turn out that badly in the end."

"No," Castle said slowly, as he was remembering too. After they'd eaten together at his table next to the windows, they'd cleaned up, and had managed to touch each other a whole lot more than they'd cleaned, before disappearing into his room. "But I still would like one rain free date on the roof with you," he said as he wrapped his arm around her, pulling her close.

"Does it still count as a date though we're engaged?" Beckett asked. "Because I never really was sure about that whole date night idea."

"A dinner then, if you want to call it that," Castle said with a one shoulder shrug since he was on his side as well.

Quiet after that, Beckett was the first to break the silence saying, "Castle, you… did you call me love, twice?"

Raising his head a little, he said, "I… yeah, I did," speaking very slowly.

"You didn't want to?" Beckett then said.

"No, I did, I do but I wanted to see what you'd say to being called that before I started to," Castle replied. "I guess I couldn't wait to ask."

"No you couldn't, but," Beckett said, pressing against him. "If you had asked, I would have been alright with it." When he looked relieved she then said, "Is that meant to be used when we're like this?"

"I wasn't planning on it, but it might end up that way," Castle said simply. "Though I may call you love out in public… once I can."

"I never thought you'd say that actually, it seems very British," Beckett said. "And what Skye-"

"Yeah I know, what Skye calls her wife," Castle quickly said before she could finish. "I know, but, I read it in a book when I was younger… don't ask what book because I don't remember. The main character calling his wife that; it was a British book I got in that bookstore on 118th. Anyways, I read that and thought that was something different to call someone you were in love with, so decided to use it myself."

"And you did that often," Beckett stated, glancing at him as she lay on her back.

"I think you know already what I'm going to say, but if you want to hear it, then no, I didn't," Castle said. "It never felt right to say it to the other women I've been with. And you?" he asked quickly as he knew she didn't really want a reminder of those other women.

"Me what?" Beckett asked.

"Going to call me anything?" Castle asked. "You have to have some form of endearment for me, I think I earned it." He grunted slightly at her light jab into his side with her elbow and then moved to lay on top of her; supporting his weight with his arms as he kissed her.

When they finally parted, she smiled and said, "I don't know, Rick seems to work."

"Yeah, but you realize you'll need to keep that for when we're alone right?" Castle asked, shuddering as she tended to use his first name when they were in their more intimate moments.

"I know, but I'm surprised," Beckett said after they'd kissed gently. "You didn't try and push me to call you that once we're married."

"I thought about that," Castle said as they got off the bed since they were on top of the covers still. "And I think right now I prefer you calling me Castle more."

"Then we're agreed," Beckett said simply, slipping under the sheet. She sighed a little as the cool linen was a relief on her still hot skin. Turning away from her fiancé, she smiled briefly when he moved up behind her, pressing close as she said, "I was going to say we should dress, but there's not really a need for it."

"Never is really," Castle said before she glanced back at him. He couldn't help smirking slightly at that before he leaned over enough to kiss her, deepening it as they let themselves get more and more involved in it. But finally they pulled away, and he brushed his lips across hers as they murmured goodnights to one another, and he finally let himself relax as he held her close, falling asleep quickly.

Beckett closed her eyes around the same time that Castle did, thinking of the next day and their supposed date. She sighed as she knew nothing could be done about it until that night, and she pressed back against her fiancé as the exhaustion of their lovemaking finally caught up with her, and she was soon lost to sleep, feeling him still holding her tight.


	7. We've Caught A Dirty One

Running his hand over Beckett's shoulder, Castle leaned over and pressed his lips to it, hearing her rapid breathing easing out. "I'm going to have a make a very strong cup of espresso whenever we get to the station," he commented as he moved to lie on his back.

"Hmm, you better, though I'm not regretting that," Beckett said, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. They were quiet for a moment, and she quickly checked the time saying, "You notice we do that a lot?"

"A period of not really doing much and then taking as much as we can, as many times as possible?" Castle asked. When Beckett nodded said, "I did, but that's how it happens when you have a kid."

"Also when the three of us come down with a cold one after the other," Beckett said, getting up on her knees then and pushing the sheet behind her that had stayed over them as they'd made love. "As happened in this case."

"You don't need to get up right this second," Castle said, sitting up quickly and putting his hands around her to press the small of her back; bringing her closer to him.

"I think I need a shower again, you too," Beckett said. "And we're not taking them together."

"Again? Then come here love," Castle said hurriedly, grabbing Beckett and turning her around as he laid her on the bed. He kissed her deeply, but quickly, and pressed his forehead to hers saying, "Just a few more quick kisses and then I'll let you go."

"Do you promise?" Beckett asked. When he nodded rapidly she sighed and then said, "Fine, but don't call me that again."

"What? Love?" Castle asked. When Beckett gave him a look he couldn't help laughing slightly before he kissed her. Parting he stared into her eyes and said, "Looks like I know your weakness, your… Kryptonite if you will."

"And if you use it too often it'll wear off," Beckett warned him.

"Understood," Castle said simply in response before he kissed his fiancée roughly, but briefly as he knew she was only going to let him do that until her alarm went off.

Wrapping her arms around him tightly, Beckett let her nails rake over the back of his head, and felt him shuddering against her in response almost instantly. A few kisses; much like that one; later, her alarm began, and when they pulled away from each other abruptly in shock at that she said, "I think… I think I've changed my mind Rick."

"I was waiting for that," Castle said easily, and he got off the bed, taking her hand and pulling her with him into the bathroom. "And I think you found my Kryptonite." He wasn't sure how exactly they got the water on in the shower, but it was, and they were underneath it, kissing passionately as he let himself run his hands over her body, wherever he could touch. Pulling away to breathe, he stared at his fiancée, her eyes half lidded before he moved to her neck, and proceeded to trail down her body.

Pressing back against the wall for support, Beckett was relieved when his mouth and hands began to work together to pleasure her, very quickly. She hadn't been sure giving him permission, but as his tongue was working over both her clit and her folds, she knew he wasn't forgetting they couldn't quite shut out everything else. Holding onto the back of his head, she carefully moved her body against him, his hands sliding over her ass and making her shudder in pleasure at the feeling before he was pulling her against him.

Since he had planned to make sure he'd be fast, Castle didn't really allow himself the chance to linger. He worked to bring her to the edge intently, eventually reaching up with one hand to fondle her breasts as an added help to him. It seemed to work, as after some time, she clutched at the back of his head, her hips thrusting wildly as his name leaving her lips echoed repeatedly. He felt a little smug that he was that good, as he knew it couldn't have been more than ten minutes since he'd started, but then felt a little hesitation with that. Shaking his head as he pulled away from her still throbbing sex, he swore to himself that he next time he could do that, he'd make it last much longer and take his time. As soon as he was standing though, he felt his fiancée's hand around his erection, grunting heavily as he hadn't gone unaffected pleasuring her. He leaned down and kissed her then, deeply, before she broke it off.

With her free hand running down his chest, Beckett got down on her knees as he'd done, watching him to see his reaction. His body was rigid and his eyes never left her as she carefully took his arousal with her mouth and proceeded to return the favor he'd done for her. Like him, she worked quickly, but was careful not to go too fast since she knew from experience that he could reach his climax quickly. So she alternated between going fast and slow, knowing he was enjoying both by the way he groaned above her. His fingers were tangled in her wet hair, and she reached up, wrapping her arms around him to rest on the lower part of his back. Speeding up after a while of that, she felt him tensing, and she glanced up at him to watch him as she finally brought him over the edge. She enjoyed watching that so much, she forgot the reason why they'd gone so quickly. But before she could remember, Castle was making her stand, and kissed her hard as they went back underneath the water together, trails sliding down their bodies as they became more focused on one another than before.

* * *

"We're not late are we?" Castle asked as he watched Beckett put on her boots last.

"No, but any more in there we would have been," she replied, smirking up at him.

"Hey, you said it was okay to join you," Castle said in mock defense. He wrapped his arm around her when she approached and said, "So we did that just in case tonight doesn't work out?"

Shaking her head, Beckett stepped out of his hold and said simply, "We'll need to see what happens. For now though…"

"Julia, yeah, I'll let you take care of that," Castle said simply. "Though I have an idea."

"Idea for what?" Beckett asked, glancing at him as they went to the stairs.

"You'll see, and it's only in case she doesn't get up," Castle said.

Turning to look up the stairs, Beckett led the way to Alexis' room, where Julia was fast asleep still, on her back with her hands up next to her head. She couldn't help lean over and kiss Julia's forehead tenderly before shaking her slightly and saying, "Sweetie, time to get up," as gently as she could. She wasn't surprised when the little girl groaned and waved her hand back and forth before turning onto her stomach. "Come on Julia, you need to go to school."

When there was another groan of protest Castle asked, "Mind if I try?"

"Alright," Beckett said, wondering what exactly he had in mind.

Turning on his phone, Castle went to the other side of the bed, and watched Julia as the song _Good Day Sunshine_ began to play from his phone. He nearly laughed as Beckett looked at him and shook her head, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. But their daughter was soon turning over and blinking up at him. "Morning sweetheart," he said with a slight grin.

"I like that song," Julia said before she smiled at her mother and Castle's laughter. She sat up and sighed saying, "Time to get up?"

"It is," Beckett said. "I'm getting breakfast ready today, so is it alright if Castle helps you get ready?"

"Will you play more music?" Julia asked, looking to him.

"Yes, I hope that's not the only reason you'll let me get you ready," Castle said. Relieved when Julia shook her head no, he watched her exchange a kiss with her mother and stood up saying, "I'll do your hair too."

"My dress! I forgot to say Mommy!" Julia said suddenly as Beckett was turning to go.

"Castle, can you-" she said to him.

"I'll take care of it," he said quickly. He turned to Julia when his fiancée had left, and seeing her expectant expression said, "You're not going to let me get you ready until I get your dress packed are you?" At the little girl's shake of her head, he sighed before he went to where it was laying out on top of Alexis' dresser still. "And you want the shoes?" he asked when he'd finished putting the dress in her overnight bag.

"Yes please," Julia said, getting off the bed and running to him. She took the decorative bands for her hair and then said, "I'm gonna go ask Mommy something."

"Whoa, hold on," Castle said, quickly grabbing her before she could run to the door. Picking her up he threw her in the air a little to her cry of surprise before holding her against his hip saying, "Let's get you dressed first before you go. And why don't you ask me?"

Smiling as Castle set her on the bed, Julia looked down at the embroidered fabric in her hands before she nodded rapidly.

In the kitchen, Beckett looked up as she heard footsteps on the stairs, and said, "Morning Martha."

"Good morning Kate, I'm assuming it's a good morning for you," Martha said in reply.

"It is," Beckett said simply, finishing cutting the last of the fruit she'd gotten from the fridge. "I've only made a fruit salad, with some granola, so if you want something else-" she said, handing one of the four bowls to her.

"This is perfect, thank you," Martha said simply, going to sit at the table. "Easy kiddo, you might fall," she said as she turned and saw Julia bounding down the stairs. "I don't know how you did it, but you looked just like Alexis when she was younger," she said as she hugged the little girl who'd run to her. "Go get breakfast, and you can tell me what you'll do while you're at Celia's tonight."

"Kay, will you tell me what you do?" Julia asked.

"Of course," Martha said.

Hurrying to the kitchen, Julia showed her mother was she was holding and asked excitedly and all in a rush, "Can I take this to school to show everyone when we learn about Spain? Castle said it's okay if you say it's okay when I asked him that."

Smiling at her fiancé, who was coming up to them, Beckett turned her attention to their daughter and said, "It's fine, but you need to leave it here while we eat okay?"

"Yeah, I don't want to get it dirty," Julia said seriously, giving the fabric to her mother and watching her put it on the counter. She took her bowl and went to the table carefully, setting it on top before starting to climb up on her chair that was next to Martha. "I can do it," she said quickly when she tried to help her. She finally made it up and started to reach for a piece of mango.

"Sweetie, fork please," Beckett said as Castle handed her one.

"Kay, do you work today too?" Julia asked after eating the fruit.

"We do, we got a case yesterday," Castle answered.

"Now you can work all night, I will be at Celia's," Julia said in a matter of fact tone.

"Actually I won't," Castle said, glancing at Beckett, who nodded slightly.

"Why?" Martha asked, wondering what he had planned.

"Esposito set me up on a date," Castle said. He and Beckett looked over at Julia when her fork clattered loudly to the table and at her horrified look said hurriedly, "It's okay, I'm just kidding sweetheart."

"He's right, the date is with me," Beckett said quickly, reassuringly.

"You better explain what you mean by that," Martha said, rubbing Julia's back and handing her her fork.

"Lanie also set me up on a date, a blind date, so they're trying to get us to have dinner together," Beckett said.

"What are you gonna do?" Julia asked, feeling more relieved at that.

"We'll go to Le Circe, discover our blind date is one another and she'll leave," Castle said.

"Oh, they'll be there. Lanie's getting a little bit devious in her methods… or desperate," Martha said, thinking for a moment.

"Desperate most likely," Beckett said. "And after we're planning on having dinner on the roof together to make up for having to go through that. He'll get Remys for us."

"Why don't you just stay and have dinner, I'm sure you two could mimic having a horrible time," Martha pointed out. When her son and Beckett shared a glance she smiled and said, "Or maybe not."

"Probably better not to go through with it," Castle said simply. "We're hoping that makes Lanie stop, or take a break is what's likely going to happen."

"More than likely," Beckett said. "So you don't have to worry sweetie."

"I know, but I didn't know you were supposed to go with Mommy," Julia said.

"So do we have Father's Day set?" Martha then asked.

"We do, the zoo," Castle said, smiling as Julia bounced up and down in her chair. "And then Coney Island for dinner and the rest of the night."

"Are you sure you wouldn't want to go to Le Circe then?" Martha suggested.

"I'd like going there since it's my choice, and I want to go on rides with Julia," Castle said. "Also with my fiancée since we haven't gone there yet."

"We haven't had a chance, but I'm still surprised you want to go there," Beckett said with a slight smile.

"It's what I felt like doing," Castle said. "And even though we're having dinner at Raphael's down the street we're not really dressing up," he said, as he glanced at their daughter and saw she wanted to ask the question. "But you could wear a sundress if you wanted to," he finished, glancing at his fiancée.

"You can," Beckett said with a smile to Julia. "So summer dressy I think is what you want to set the dress code as."

"Are you going to be following it?" Castle asked.

"I'll need to see," Beckett said simply as she looked at her watch. "Okay, we need to go, you're going to be late," she told Julia. "Finish your fruits."

"I'm done," Julia said, showing her mother her bowl.

"Go ahead, I'll clear up once you go," Castle said as Beckett started to take their bowls.

"Thank you," she said. "Say goodbye to Martha sweetie."

"Have a wonderful day at school, and tomorrow too darling," Castle's mother said to Julia as the little girl kissed her cheek.

"I hope you have a good day too," Julia replied with a smile. She hugged her before she went to the door with her mother, Castle following them. "Make sure you get a good milkshake for my mommy. For dinner," she told him seriously as he picked her up.

"I will," Castle said, glancing at his fiancée who was fighting a smile. "Your mom and I will call you later tonight while we're having dinner okay?"

"Kay," Julia said, hugging him before she shared a quick kiss with him. She then looked up at them closely, as her mother helped her put her backpack on.

"I'll see you," Castle said, looking at Julia out of the corner of his eye. He was distracted then when Beckett wrapped her arms around him, and kissed him. He recovered as quickly as he could, and kissed her back, toeing the line of it being a rough kiss. But he luckily remembered there were more than there than just their daughter watching them, and they soon parted before he let her go; wanting to hold her just a little more. Clearing his throat as they walked out into the hall he said, "Bye Julia, have fun." Once they'd disappeared around the corner, he closed and locked the door, turning to find his mother standing at the table, watching him. "What?" he asked at her smile.

"You would never be able to fake having an awful time with her, could you?" Martha asked. When her son shook his head no, she went up the stairs, watching him clearing the table, seeing he seemed to be distracted. Her smile grew a little wider, knowing where his thoughts were exactly and wondering if he knew how obvious that was.

* * *

Hugging Julia one last time, Beckett kissed her cheek before she left, pausing at the door to wave goodbye to her daughter. She smiled when the little girl waved back before Celia touched the embroidery on the hair decoration she was holding. Seeing Julia was occupied with her friend, she left and as she hurried to leave before the gates were closed, she felt her phone shaking in her pocket before it began to ring. "Espo, did you find…" she started to say before pausing. "Yeah, I'll call Castle and get there right away."

Hanging up her phone, Beckett then called her fiancé, saying as soon as he answered, "You need to get to the Boxer Hotel, they just found Jason Sunderland."

"Yeah, I'll leave right now," Castle said quickly before they hung up.

Going out to the street, just managing to make it before the final bell rang, Beckett hailed a cab and gave the address of the hotel, luckily not too far away. With traffic clear by then, she was soon running into the lobby asking, "Where is he?" as she reached Ryan and Esposito.

"Seventh floor, we just got here ourselves, and CSU is on its way," Ryan commented.

"We called Lanie, so she should be getting here soon," Esposito finished.

"Alright, then let's head up," Beckett said, turning towards the elevators.

"Wait!" Castle called from behind, running over to them. "Damn cab hit some traffic or else I would have gotten here first."

"It's not a race Castle," Beckett said simply. "Did they mention if the door was open or any signs of a break in?"

"First thing we asked," Esposito replied. "And no, they say the only way someone got into that room with the vic was because they were let inside."

Nodding, Beckett was the first to step out of the elevator, a little surprised to turn to her right and find a door wide open. "So if this is the room, they either escaped via the elevator or the stairs."

"I would say the elevator since it's closer," Castle said. "But the stairs are more likely."

"Do you have security cameras on the stairs?" Beckett asked the hotel employee standing next to the doorway.

I'm afraid not ma'am, there's never been a reason to need them," the man replied.

Walking inside, Beckett saw their former suspect lying out on the bed, a bullet wound on the side of his forehead. "Well, I think we can be sure-" she started to say.

"It's not suicide," she and Castle said together.

"Yeah, that look on his face…" Ryan began before trailing off.

"He knew his killer, and it apparently shocked the hell out of him," Esposito said. "Judging by that expression."

"I was thinking more along the lines of trajectory guys," Beckett said, exchanging a look with Castle.

"Well yeah, that and his face," Ryan said before hearing voices at the doorway. "Lanie's here," he told the others.

"Yeah, and it sounds like you guys did my job for me," the doctor replied as she walked up to the bed. "But yeah, looks like it was a homicide, the angle I can see of the bullet wound…"

"Something wrong?" Beckett asked.

"I think we need to get him off the bed," Lanie replied. "But let me do a quick look over and have some pictures taken."

"We'll look around," Beckett said before she went to the closet against the back corner of the room.

"No suitcase," Castle said. "So he wasn't expecting to stay long."

"Ryan-" Beckett started to say, turning to the bed.

"He's going to talk with the concierge, I'll start up a canvas if you want me to," Esposito said.

"Is he going to let you know about the occupancy on this floor?" Beckett asked, getting her phone out of her pocket. When he nodded, she called Ryan and as soon as he'd answered said, "I need you to ask first if there's anyone in the room on the sixth floor under us."

"Are there any signs of a struggle?" Castle asked Lanie while his fiancée was waiting.

"Some bruising around the lips, and his shirt was torn open, you guys didn't see it because the killer closed it well enough to hide it," she replied.

"What accounts for the lip bruising?" Castle said. "Was he… kissed really roughly?"

"More than likely bitten, but that would mean your killer could probably be a woman," Lanie replied. "Or it's a man and he's staging it to make you think it's woman."  
"Or our vic here was bisexual," Castle said.

"That would explain it," Lanie said. "Alright, can we get him on the stretcher?" she asked her co-workers.

Watching as the three managed to get the body off the bed, Beckett saw the slip of paper that fell to the floor first, going over to it and picking it up. " _Meet me tomorrow we need to talk_ ," she said, reading the note.

"No name I'm assuming?" Castle asked.

"Of course not," Beckett said. "It would make things too easy for us. Lanie, when was he killed?"

"Just a second," the doctor said absentmindedly. "Okay, I'd put time of death at about six thirty."

"The band must have come back sooner," Castle said, Beckett nodding in agreement.

"Thank you Lanie, call if you get anything from the autopsy," Beckett told her friend.

"Right, and I'll be over at your place at five," the doctor said in a low tone of voice.

Pausing, Beckett merely gave her a quick nod before leaving the room to find Esposito walking up to them. "Anything?" she asked.

"Most of these rooms are empty, guy I talked to was about five rooms down, he didn't hear anything this morning," Esposito said. "Probably should have gotten a time of death first."

"Six thirty," Castle said.

"So what, no partying after their gig last night?" Esposito commented.

"Doesn't look like it," Ryan said from behind them as he stepped out of the elevator. "Talking to concierge they said Sunderland checked in at six to stay only until twelve this afternoon."

"So he recognized the writing on the paper," Castle mused.

"What are you thinking?" Beckett asked when he didn't say anything else.

"Well, he needed a place to go to for a brief period of time; six hours. So he called whoever sent him that note to arrange where they'd meet. Why this hotel… I really couldn't say. But they meet, and maybe the killer begins to initiate a sexual encounter and gets him… on the… bed…" Castle started to say before trailing off.

Looking at Ryan and Esposito, Beckett followed her fiancé back inside the room and saw what Lanie must have guessed. "So he was shot, here," she said, standing at the end of the bed, turning to Castle and the boys.

"More than likely he was sitting on the edge; looking at the wound closer now, I can see a downward angle, and the exit is near the base of his skull," Lanie said, looking up from the vic.

"So the killer makes him think it's likely a sexual encounter," Castle said, picking up where he left off. "And pushed him to sit down before he shot him."

"That might account for the expression on his face," Ryan suggested as they looked to Beckett.

"I'll agree," she said. "If he was expecting that and instead got shot. But that doesn't help us find out who killed him."

"They have cameras in the halls, so the footage will be at the station," Ryan said. "I said to get them between six and the time when the body was discovered."

"How was it discovered, you didn't explain," Beckett said to Esposito.

"He ordered breakfast to be delivered at seven forty five, with specific instructions that they open the door if he didn't answer," he replied.

"Okay, Ryan, try and see who took that call, see if they can describe the voice. Get the time it was made, though I'm pretty sure it was after six thirty. Espo, can you stay until CSU is finished?" Beckett told them.

"And you two?" Esposito asked.

"We're going to need to find the band," Castle said, Beckett nodding in agreement before he followed her out of the room.

* * *

"Yes ma'am, thank you," Beckett was saying before she hung up her phone.

"Still nothing?" Castle asked. "How can four people just up and disappear?"

"They must have heard about Sunderland, though why they wouldn't try and get in contact with the police to find out what's happening… I don't know," Beckett said with a deep sigh. "So I've called everyone I could get numbers for, and none of the roadies or groupies know what happened after they were dropped off this morning at the warehouse where the band practices."

"Did anyone say why they came back to the city so early?" Castle asked.

"There's a special performance they're going to do in Central Park, for Father's Day," Beckett said. "They were going to do some of The Beatles' solo songs, and needed to practice them."

"Was it the band that wanted to get them back, or the manager?" Castle asked.

"The manager, but according to a few of the roadies, the four guys agreed with the plan. And Sunderland really wanted to get back," Beckett said.

"So he had that note for a while," Castle said. "I'm wondering, you know, Pete Best was kind of tossed out-"

"No," Beckett said, cutting him off before he could go any further.

"No? Come on, people always thought that Pete Best was thrown out for Ringo and-" Castle said before he cut himself off. "So what if it'd been the guy who plays Ringo that was our vic?"

"I still wouldn't buy into a pseudo Pete Best getting revenge theory," Beckett said. She looked up at her fiancé after crossing off the last number from her list and said, "I knew where you were going with that. Besides, there is no Pete Best in the band; and no I don't think this is a guy thinking he is Pete Best or being controlled by him or anything crazy you might want to say."

"I'm going to have to think of new stuff," Castle said. "You're guessing way before I can say it."

"That's what happens when I spend so many years around you," Beckett said.

"And if you continue… awesome," Castle said, starting to laugh. "You'll be able to read my mind."

Giving him a look as she shook her head, Beckett heard Ryan down the hall calling to her. She got up quickly and went into the room where he and Esposito were, Castle following. "I can't find the three remaining members of the band or the manager," she told them.

"We got something from the parking garage under the hotel that might help," Ryan said. "But first, this is outside the room our vic had, since it's right outside the elevator, we got the perfect angle of the door."

Looking at the screen, Beckett wasn't too surprised when a figure appeared at the right of the screen. "The stairs were that way right?" she asked.

"Yeah, and going back and asking that guy that's five doors down in that direction, he says he was woken up at about six he thinks by a slamming door," Esposito said. "That'll be the killer. But he went back to sleep after, so that was all he heard."

"That's enough confirmation," Castle said as they watched the killer go up to their vic's door, knock and then go inside.

"And then about twenty minutes later, he comes out again," Ryan said, fast forwarding until the killer came back out.

"Knowing the cameras were there," Beckett said as the man was hooded wearing sunglasses so his face was largely shadowed. "And a good disguise in the summer, once he goes outside-"

"Actually, that's why I called you, he didn't go outside, he went down to parking, to a car," Ryan said.

"Do you have a plate?" Beckett asked, standing up straighter.

"We do," Ryan said, showing them the footage of the car.

"Alright, we'll search this, try and see if you can find which direction he goes at the exit," Beckett said, writing down the number.

When his fiancée turned to go, Castle was already ahead of her, and he took the paper she had in hand, sitting at her desk as she leaned over next to him. "Okay, so the car belongs to…" he said after searching the numbers and letters. He trailed off, turning to Beckett to see her reaction.

"What the hell?" she said, swearing in her surprise. "Damn it, we're definitely not telling Julia about this case," she told him as they went back to where the boys were. "Esposito," she called. "I need you to bring someone in."

"Who?" he asked, surprised to see Beckett looking irritated.

"George," Castle said simply, coming up to stand behind his fiancée as she shook her head in frustration.

* * *

"Mr. Porter," Beckett said, walking inside interrogation.

"Or George to your fans," Castle said, feeling a little weird speaking to the man who looked a lot like the singer he portrayed had in the late seventies.

"It's Wes," the man said calmly. "Any reason why you pulled me from my dentist appointment?"

"There is, have you heard from your band mates since you came home this morning?" Beckett asked.

"Not really, we're supposed to rehearse at five, so in about…" Porter said, looking at his watch. "Six hours. When we're not rehearsing or performing, we're not exactly that chummy."

"Then you haven't heard," Beckett stated.

"Heard what?" Porter said, controlling his voice.

"Paul is dead," Castle said simply.

"Uh… what?" Porter asked in utter confusion.

"Jason Sunderland, your band mate," Beckett said simply.

"You… Jace is dead he's… he can't be," Porter said, confusion turning to shock. "I saw him this morning before he left our tour bus, he was fine."

"Actually, you saw him after that," Beckett said, setting down a picture of the man's car in the parking lot.

"You found my car! Where is it?" Porter asked in amazement.

"Your car was stolen?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, I had driven down to Ocean City, in Maryland this past weekend, on Thursday," Porter explained quickly. "And coming out of a restaurant I couldn't find it and contacted the police there, but they haven't been able to find it." He studied the picture and said, "She looks to be in good shape though."

"Mr. Porter, did you report the car stolen?" Beckett asked, trying to get his attention as the man was looking over the picture intently.

"Yeah, of course, and I've been calling the police every couple days, well, I was, last night before our show when I called they told me to stop basically," Porter said. "But now I know it's here in the city… somewhere."

"How well did you know Sunderland? You never met up with him or the others from the band when you weren't performing? I know you said you weren't chummy, but really, nothing?" Castle asked.

"We were friends, just had separate lives here in the city," Porter said. "Actually, Bobby; the guy who plays John; he lives in Montclair, in Jersey."

"Where do Mr. Yates and your manager live?" Beckett asked.

"Bry lives in Queens, and our manager, Tommy Colton, lives in Yonkers," Porter replied simply.

"Do you know anyone who'd want to hurt your band mate?" Castle asked.

"Not really," Porter said slowly, thinking that over. "Though, he and Colton got into a big fight about a week ago."

"What about?" Beckett asked, when the man didn't say anything else.

"I'm not sure, but he came onto the tour bus; we were in Norfolk for a gig; and he was muttering about leaving. But that would be pretty devastating to the band," Porter said. He started to speak before he stopped and swallowed hard saying, "You've seen him, how he looks a hell of a lot like Paul. He had a lot of fans, men and women."

"Why would he want to leave?" Beckett asked, relieved she'd had Esposito and Ryan head to their latest vic's apartment.

"I think he was being stalked by a fan, but he'd never say for sure, he'd get letters, and then act crazy about them after reading them," Porter said.

"Do you know these three people?" Beckett then asked, fanning out pictures of their first victims in front of him.

"I… wait, her and… her, they won the raffles we have at our concerts here in the city," Porter replied. "I can't remember when, but yeah, they came up on stage. Who are they?"

"I'm going to need alibis from you," Beckett said instead of answering.

"Jace was my friend," Porter interjected roughly.

Beckett didn't respond to that, and instead listed the times of the murders that they had, ending with Sunderland's last.

Sucking in a deep breath of air, Porter finally said, "Your first three I was in Atlantic City, at the tables for the first two and then the last one I was rehearsing." He saw the two were looking at him unbelievingly and he said in exasperation, "I had to worry about our performance later that night, was my only chance to gamble."

"And what exactly did you do? Poker, blackjack, slots?" Castle asked.

"Blackjack," Porter said simply.

"Okay, and this morning at six thirty?" Beckett asked.

"At my apartment," Porter said. "With my girlfriend. Can I call her; I was supposed to meet her for lunch."

"I'm afraid not, we'll have to hold you until we can clear your alibis," Beckett said. "And we've been trying to contact your two other band mates, as well as Mr. Colton, but have been unable to reach them. Do you know any way to get in touch with them?"

"Yeah, if you've been trying their cell phones and haven't gotten anything then try their home phones," Porter said. He took the pen and pad of paper that Beckett provided him with, and then proceeded to write down three numbers.

Getting up from the table, Castle walked out first, holding the door for Beckett who instructed LT to take Porter to holding. "So what do we do first?" he asked.

"Since we're the only ones here," Beckett said. "I'll call these numbers, hope we can get a hold of one of these men."  
"And me?" Castle asked. "Want me to get some security footage?"

Beckett glanced at him out of the corner of her eye and was about to answer when she heard her phone ringing. "What did you find Ryan?" she asked when she saw the name on her screen.

"We've got another one Beckett," the detective said on the other end.

Since she hadn't put the phone to speak, Castle was watching her closely, wondering what was wrong at her brief, surprised expression before she hung up with an, "We'll be there." "Was that Lanie, did she find something unusual at the autopsy?" he asked quickly.

"No, we have another murder," Beckett said. "Eva Kellogg, a teacher."


	8. An Unpleasant Scene

"I wouldn't lift that if I were you," Lanie said quickly to Castle as he reached for the sheet covering the vic on the stretcher.

"She was hit on the back of the head," Beckett said, looking at her fiancé.

"Multiple times," Lanie replied. "But…" she trailed off before nodding up to the ceiling.

Looking up and seeing the massive amount of blood splatter, Castle whistled slightly saying, "So I'm assuming it's not pretty."

"Not in the slightest, your killer struck her hard enough to break her skull into pieces essentially," Lanie said. "I don't think I'll even be able to figure out how many times he hit her."

"Then he's getting more violent," Beckett said, turning to where the body had been. "Ryan?"

"Yeah, she was found by the landlord, neighbor of hers called him, saying there were screams and she wanted to check on her friend," he said, coming over from where a member of the CSU team was looking at photographs strewn on the floor. "That was about eleven, so a half hour ago. And they found her there, in the middle of those pictures."

"Did they hear anything specific, or just screams?" Beckett asked.

"No, just the screams," Ryan said, shaking his head. "Oh, but I asked, preceding the screams, if she heard running; she's in the apartment directly below; and she did, but only one set doing that. Which would be-"

"The killer's," Castle and Beckett finished for him.

Walking over to the windows, she turned to her fiancé as he walked up to her and said, "What's confusing me is the murder of Sunderland."

"I know, a gun when they've been using the hammer this entire time," Castle said. He paused then and turning to Lanie asked, "How easy is it to get one of those hammers?"

"You'd have to order it specially," the doctor replied. "But there are a couple of suppliers of autopsy tools; I could give you their sites if you need them."

Shaking her head Beckett said, "It would be next to impossible to track it, it could have been bought at any time before these murders started; and I get the feeling they're just using one. So these pictures are all of Sunderland."

"Every one detective," the CSU team member said, picking up the last one.

"We'll have to try and find out if there's any kind of connection," Beckett said. "Between her and Sunderland. Has your team found anything of interest besides out here in this room." When the man shook his head, she nodded and then turned to Castle saying, "It was a quick attack-"

"And she knew her killer because there was no forced entry at the door again," he continued. "But there's something about this vic that makes him angry-"

"Angry enough to strike her more than he's done before," Beckett said. "What if she's been the intended target?"

"I have to wonder why the connection to the band," Castle began. "It could be," he started slowly. "That they know who the killer is. We never asked Porter about the song you know."

"I told you, I was hoping to hold off on that," Beckett said before she turned to see Esposito walking into the apartment. "Did you find anything?" she asked as she walked over to him.

"Not much, but there was this," he said, handing his phone to her. "Took a picture so you could see."

"A… box?" Castle guessed, looking at what looked like a square of a shelf that was not covered in dust.

"Something in that shape," Esposito said. "Contacted the landlord, but, it wasn't the best building, no cameras anywhere but the lobby. They're sending the footage to the Precinct."

"Okay, so talk to Ryan, he'll update you on what we have right now," Beckett said before starting to walk past him.

"And you?" Esposito asked.

"We're going hunting for the rest of the Players," Castle said simply.

* * *

"Alright, thank you Mr. Colton, we'll see you soon," Beckett said before she hung up the phone.

"And?" Castle asked as she turned to him.

"He's gone to New Jersey with his wife; to shop; before the rehearsal. When I told him about Sunderland though, he insisted he'd be back as soon as possible," Beckett said, looking at her watch.

Frowning, Castle said, "That's going to be a while, traffic should be starting up now."

"I know, but at least we found him and the last two band members as well," Beckett said before her cell phone rang.

As she spoke with Bryan Yates, Castle went to the murder board, looking at everything they had so far. The board was crowded with pictures of victims and he frowned as they took over most of the space there. "There's something that really bugs me about this case," he said when he felt his fiancée coming to stand next to him.

"The fact that we don't have much?" Beckett asked him. When he nodded she said, "I don't blame you, but we should go over everything again until the boys get back."

"Right, oh, what'd Ringo say?" Castle asked.

"He's coming in," Beckett replied, shaking her head. "Please do not refer to them as Ringo and John when they get here."

"I won't," Castle said simply. "So, should we get started?"

"Our first vic was our student," Beckett said. "Then the teacher and the judge. Which follows the song, but our latest victim was a teacher."

"Oh, I thought you'd focus on each crime scene first," Castle said. "That's one of the many things that bother me actually; this song is where the killer is getting his inspiration, but killing Sunderland? And then going out of order? Obviously he's trying to throw us off, but do you think we'll get yet another murder? A student or a judge?"

Looking at her watch, Beckett said, "We got the first three vics in pretty rapid succession, and the space between the last two was pretty short too. But something tells me, she was the last."

"Me too, but we'll see," Castle said. He then turned to her and said, "I didn't know you had spidey senses too."

"It's a hunch," Beckett said simply, rolling her eyes. "For all we know the other two vics haven't been discovered yet. Now, we've looked at the first three and their only connection was being fans of the Abbey Road Players. Victim number four was Paul in the band and…"

"That's where I'm confused, who is she to these guys?" Castle asked.

"We can find out right now," Beckett said, taking the picture of their last vic down and going over to the break room where Porter was for protection and to wait for the rest of his band and manager to arrive. "Mr. Porter," she said to the man. "I'm wondering if you know this woman."

Taking the picture, Porter looked a little surprised and said, "Wow, Eva, I haven't seen her in years." He then looked up at Beckett and asked, "She's, please don't tell me she's dead."

"I'm afraid so," she replied. "How do you know her?"

"Before we formed the band, Jace and I were in another Beatles tribute band, but the guys we had as Ringo and John weren't exactly the best. But Eva was our manager, and if my observations were correct, Jace's lover," Porter said.

Looking at Castle who was standing in the doorway, Beckett said, "So that band split up?"

"Yeah, but it was amicable, believe me, Joey and Trace were both perfectly fine with it," Porter said quickly. "Joey Richman and Trace Cocteau."

"Do you know anyone named Jerry? Or whose nickname might be Jerry?" Castle asked.

"No," Porter said, thinking for a moment. "Why?"

"Just wondering," Castle said quickly.

"Did you call Eva's family yet?" Porter asked.

"We're aware her parents are deceased, is there anyone else we need to talk to?" Beckett asked.

"Her foster mother," Porter replied. "Her name is Joyce Yamamoto, I don't know how to get in touch with her, but she raised Eva until she was eighteen."

"We're they close?" Beckett asked.

"Kind of, Jace told me once that she was kind of a wild child, so they might have been estranged, but she should know," Porter said. "Detective," he called when Beckett turned to leave. "Are Bry and Bob alright? And Colton?"

"They're coming in right now," Beckett said with a nod. Leaving the room, she went to her desk and was able to find the woman in question. She spoke to their last vic's foster mother briefly, and shook her head when Castle turned to her from the board. "They were estranged, and while she was upset, she had no idea what Kellogg was doing after she left at eighteen."

"So a dead end," Castle said. "I just wish Porter had been able to tell who this was," he said as he tapped the one picture of the killer. "Or that he'd turned his head enough for the FBI to help us out with some kind of scan."

"I know, but maybe we'll get something now," Beckett said as she saw the elevator open and Ryan and Esposito step out. "Anything?" she asked.

"Yeah, you know the woman who lived the next floor down from our vic? Well, she came up as we were finishing up our canvas and said that she had seen our vic before her; Sunderland; coming out of her apartment a few days ago," Ryan said.

"Did she find out why he was there?" Castle asked.

"It took her a little bit of cajoling, as she put it, but finally she got out of Kellogg that Sunderland was upset about something that had been taken from his apartment," Ryan said.

"She said that our last vic said it was a box," Esposito said.

"Any idea what was in this suddenly vital box?" Beckett queried.

"No, just something important, and apparently something to do with hammers," Esposito answered.

Looking at each other, Castle and Beckett walked over to the break room as fast as they could, seeing that Porter was on his phone. Sharing another glance, Beckett was the first to speak saying, "Mr. Porter?"

"Huh? Oh, sorry, I'll see you later, tell me if you hear from her at all, I need to talk to her," Porter said, hanging up the phone quickly. "What?"

"What was the name of your former band?" Beckett asked.

"We were called the Silver Hammers, why?" Porter said, looking perplexed when the two suddenly left.

"It's someone dealing with the band before the Abbey Road Players," Castle said quickly when they rejoined the boys. "Sunderland and Porter over there were in a band previous to this one, and their manager was our recent vic."

"Ryan, can you talk to Porter, I want him to speak with someone who didn't try to interrogate him. Ask about this so called box, and if there was anything negative within the band that someone would start killing in the name of the song the band was named for," Beckett said quickly.

"And ask whose favorite song was _Maxwell's Silver Hammer_ ," Castle called as their partner went over to the break room.

"Espo, I need you to take a look at the lobby footage, from both buildings for the last two murders, from about seven to the time the body was discovered," Beckett said.

"I'll see what I can find, but the lobby might be crowded with people going to work," he replied.

"Whatever you can find I will be grateful," Beckett said. Turning to Castle then she said, "We need to find the other two members of the band."

* * *

"You guys get anything?" Esposito asked as Castle and Beckett walked into the room after he'd called to them.

"We found Trace Cocteau," Castle said. "And he's living in Albany now; a realtor; he hadn't had any contact with Sunderland or Porter since the band broke up. He admitted he and Richman weren't that good, so the break up was amicable like Porter told us."

"And Richman?" Esposito asked.

"Richman committed suicide about three years ago," Beckett said. When Esposito looked at her she quickly said. "In November of 2011."

"Oh," the detective said.

"We were hoping too," Castle said. "Why'd you call us in? She was about to call Richman's sister."

"Alright, I've been through this footage of the last vic's lobby twice, just making sure I didn't miss anything, and second time around, I caught sight of this," Esposito said before playing the footage that was on pause.

Looking at the screen closely, Beckett frowned when she saw a person in a baseball cap and sunglasses, head turned to the side, striding through the lobby. "That's him," she said, before the m caught in her throat as the man's coat opened slightly and a flash of silver was seen.

"The hammer, is he coming or going?" Castle asked, since he wasn't sure which direction the killer was walking in.

"Coming, this was just before eleven, right before the murder," Esposito said. "And I'm not sure when he leaves; I wasn't able to see him around that time."

"He went down the stairs," Castle and Beckett said at the same time.

"More than likely, no cameras there of course," Esposito said simply.

"So he's taunting us, walking through that lobby without a care to hide his weapon better than the pocket of his coat," Castle said. "But he didn't want to bring attention to himself as he left."

"Did her friend go straight up to the apartment after she heard the screams?" Beckett asked.

"No, she tried calling her first, thinking it was a movie the vic was watching," Esposito said. "She wasn't able to explain the running she'd heard, so guessed it was a movie since it was loud enough for her to hear."

"Alright, I'm wondering if we might be able to ask one of the sketch artists to work with the two pictures we have now," Beckett said. "Ask if they could make a sketch even though we don't have much. And also, I'd like to see if we can't track where Porter's car went after it left the hotel's parking."

"I'll get on that," Esposito said before leaving the room.

"The band's here," Castle suddenly said.

Turning to him, Beckett looked out the window, seeing two men looking around them; two men who looked like John Lennon and Ringo Starr. "Mr. Yates, Mr. Basingstoke?" she said as they walked out towards the two.

"Yeah, are you Detective Beckett?" Yates asked.

"I am, please, follow me," she said, motioning them into the room behind her.

"Is Wes okay?" Basingstoke asked.

"He's fine, another detective is speaking with him right now," Beckett said. "Please, sit," she said once Castle had closed the door behind them.

"Any idea who killed Jace?" Basingstoke then asked.

"I'm afraid not at the moment," Beckett said. "I'm wondering though, could you tell me about how Mr. Sunderland was when you reached the warehouse where you were dropped off this morning?"

"Oh, he was fine, he was in a rush to leave, but I would assume it'd be to see his longtime lover," Yates answered.

"We have no idea who he was with though, or if it was a dude or a woman, you never could tell with Jace," Basingstoke said. "But he seemed a little… anxious to go didn't he?"

"That's true, he was first off the bus, but then took off at a run, looking around him as he went," Yates agreed with a nod.

"Do you two recognize this writing?" Beckett asked.

Looking at the photograph of the note that had been on the vic, Basingstoke and Yates both shook their heads before Castle said, "Do you know any reason why he'd be at the Boxer?"

"No, is that where he was?" Basingstoke said. When both Castle and Beckett nodded, he looked at his band mate and said, "A hook up maybe?"

"That would explain why he was so anxious," Yates said with a shrug. "Never even heard of the Boxer."

"I have," Basingstoke said. "He, Jace, used to go there to meet his lover once in a while. They were together for a long time, which is why we called him or her that," he explained. "They liked to shake things up by pretending what they did was taboo."

"And who else knew about this?" Beckett asked.

"About the Boxer? I think just me, but that was because I was with him when he got a text from the person," Basingstoke said. He jumped suddenly then, and at the others' looks said, "A text… can I… can I read it?"

"Go ahead," Beckett said.

"Oh, it's Colton, he's stuck in traffic," Basingstoke said. "On the turnpike."

"Don't tell him you're here," Beckett said quickly, looking at Castle.

"We were told that he and Mr. Sunderland had a pretty big fight not too long ago," he said, understanding her gaze quickly. "About him wanting to leave the band."

"Wes told you that? He forgot to mention the fact too that they would have that argument all the time, Jace liked to threaten Colton; keep him on his toes," Yates groaned. "Jace was a big pull for the band, he looks a hell of a lot like Paul, so women are pretty crazy about him."

"He's right, it also helped that he was left handed too," Basingstoke said. "Men were crazy about him too. But lately he seemed to want to stop touring actually. Like we said, something was making him jumpy, we didn't know what."

"Mr. Porter mentioned letters that he would get," Beckett said, pulling out pictures from her file she'd brought into the room with them.

"Oh yeah, forgot about those, he tried to find out where they were from, but when he couldn't he threw them away," Yates said. "Got them for a while, and then they stopped, so we didn't really think much about it. Since Jace didn't really share about them, we figured they were from some stalker chick."

"Or dude," Basingstoke said.

"Do you know these people?" Beckett then asked when the two men didn't say anything else. She held out the four pictures, watching them look through them closely before they began to nod.

"Yeah, these two were winners of a raffle," Yates said, holding out the pictures of the first two vics.

"This one asked for a kiss from Bry," Basingstoke said. "But the guy, no, and the other woman… she looks familiar."

"I know, the hell did we see her at?" Yates said before snapping his fingers. "She was hanging around Jace for a while when we first started out. She tried to become co-manager with Colton, but he pretty much chased her off. Haven't seen her since then."

"Did Colton say someone was trying to edge him out of his position?" Basingstoke said.

"Was it serious?" Castle asked as Yates nodded to his band mate's question.

"Colton kept things quiet, especially concerning financials," Basingstoke replied.

"We only knew that we were doing pretty well," Yates said. "And that we kept getting more and more gigs."

"Did Mr. Sunderland have a favorite song?" Beckett then said.

"Oh yeah, _Maxwell's Silver Hammer_ ," Basingstoke said.

"And I'm wondering, do you mingle with the audience at all?" Castle asked suddenly.

"A little bit before the show, those with tickets for the first five rows to our shows," Yates began. "They can come in a half hour before the others are let in, chat with us a little as we're setting up."

"Okay, I'm wondering if it's possible for you two to remain here for the time being," Beckett said then, knowing why her fiancé had asked that. She too had been wondering how the killer had known the first three victims fit the song, and it likely had been at that extra half hour before the shows. "As a precaution I want to send security details with you, to watch out for you."

"You think we're in trouble?" Basingstoke asked.

"Then where the hell is Wes?" Yates said.

"He's fine," Ryan said from the doorway he'd stepped into without the others hearing him.

"I'll send in Mr. Porter, just stay here please, and I'll let you know when you can return home," Beckett said, standing up with Castle. As they stepped outside, Porter came up to them and she told him, "Your manager is stuck in traffic, but your band mates are here."

"My remaining band mates," Porter said bitterly before he disappeared into the room.

"So what did you find?" Beckett asked as she and Castle followed Ryan over to his desk.

"He confirmed about the song, said Sunderland was crazy about it, would play it on the guitar constantly," Ryan replied. "And that he was the one to choose the name Silver Hammers. But he didn't really have much else to tell me besides that, at least, nothing you don't already know."

"When you went to Sunderland's place, were there any letters? Threatening letters?" Castle asked.

"And I'm wondering, is there a gun registered to him?" Beckett said absently before Ryan could reply.

"No gun, and no letters like that," Ryan said. "Nothing much except for that missing box."

"Alright," Beckett said with a sigh. "I'm going to get some coffee," she said, looking at her watch. "Well, I was going to call Julia, but it's too early. So I'll just take a very quick break and then we'll take another look at the case again from the beginning." She left the two and went into the break room, getting a cup before she paused.

"Was just asking Ryan about if he had a little black book," Castle said when he'd come in.

"Who, Ryan?" Beckett asked.

"Oh, nice," Castle said. "Was a nice set up."

"It was," Beckett agreed. "But anything Sunderland had like that?"

"No, but a lot of protection, so at least he was careful in that respect… though of course it didn't keep him from getting shot," Castle said, shaking his head as he began a cup of espresso. "Sorry about not getting to this until now."

"I don't know when you had the chance," Beckett said. "It's been pretty busy, though we seem to be walking in a long circle that has no end at the moment," she commented as she turned around to lean against the counter next to him, crossing her arms over her chest. "I'm surprised Esposito hasn't said anything to you."

"I get the feeling he's just relieved he got me to agree," Castle said. "He won't worry until it gets closer to six." Watching her look at her watch he said, "Still too early."

"Yeah, she's in dance class now, they just started," Beckett said. "Is this case reminding you constantly of her?"

"I don't see how it couldn't," Castle said as he handed her the finished cup of coffee. "Especially since we were just talking to nearly mirror images of John and Ringo. George too. But I think," he said. "What helps us out is that we never took her to see them."

"I think I want to wait to do that," Beckett said. "Well, to see a tribute band…"

"What?" Castle asked, watching her as he was making a cup of coffee for himself.

"No, just thinking that we've told her about these bands, but she doesn't seem to want to go," Beckett said.

"Oh good, you noticed that too," Castle said as they sat down together at the table. "I think though, she doesn't want to see imitators."

"So she'd rather see The Beatles, and not the Players," Beckett said, smiling when he nodded. "Well, we'll see."

"See what?" Esposito asked, coming inside then.

"If Julia and I will take any vacations once she's done with school," Beckett said quickly. "Speaking of school, are you and Ryan able to come at all?"

"Depends," Ryan said, coming into the room himself. "On if we get a case."

"Lanie said the same thing," Beckett said with a nod. "I leave it up to you guys." She opened her mouth to speak again, when she heard a yelled, "Detective Beckett!" Jumping up from her seat, leaving behind the nearly empty cup of coffee, she went to the doorway with Castle, the boys behind them.

"Detective Beckett!" Porter was saying, turning from her desk to the break room. "Detective," he said as he ran to her.

"What is it?" Beckett asked quickly to get him to stop saying her name.

"I need to go to the hospital, my mom was almost killed, I think by the same guy who killed Jace," Porter said so fast he was nearly stumbling over his words.


	9. Majoring In Medicine

Watching Porter as he spoke with a doctor down the hall, Castle said, "I'm still confused, how did his mom find his car? In an alley no less."

"That's why we need to see if we can talk to Mrs. Porter," Beckett said simply. "Doctor," she said as the woman walked over to them. "How is she?"

"She's doing very well considering she was beat up pretty severely," the doctor replied. "She's been asking for her son though."

"Mr. Porter," Beckett said quickly, as the man was standing next to the door to the room his mother was in. "I'm sorry, but I need to go in with you when you see your mother."  
"Do you not trust her?" Porter asked in surprise.

"I'd just like to hear her story first hand," Beckett said.

"Okay sure, but, could we go now?" the man asked.

"She has some bruising and lacerations, a few stitches here and there," the doctor said. "But she's pretty tough; she's a nurse here after all."  
"Here?" Castle asked in surprise.

"Just a moment," Beckett said quickly. She took her fiancé's arm and led him back down the hall. "Call Ryan back from the car, tell him he needs to look into this guy our first vic met here at the hospital again." When he'd gone to the waiting room she turned back around and walked over to Porter and the doctor and said, "I'm sorry, there might be something for my case. So besides that she's doing fine?" as they paused at the closed door.

"She is, she should be able to speak to both of you, and I'll allow her to leave whenever you're finished Detective," the doctor said.

Following Porter inside the room, Beckett hung back close to the door to watch as the man rushed to the bed, hugging his mother tightly.

"I was so scared Ma," Porter was saying. "Asked Tina to check on you but she said you'd left for the market for lunch."

"I know, I lied, I got…" Mrs. Porter started to say, trailing off when she caught sight of Beckett.

"Mrs. Porter, I'm Detective Beckett," she said quickly, walking over to the bed. "I'm glad to see you're doing alright."  
"So am I," Mrs. Porter said. "Is Wes here in trouble?"

"No, Ma, Jace was killed," Porter explained.

"What?" Mrs. Porter asked, turning very pale before lying back against the bed.

"We have reason to believe the person who attacked you may have been involved," Beckett said, hesitating slightly as she heard the click of the door opening behind her. "We'd like to hear what happened to you, in as much detail as you can remember."

"I was eating lunch at home, and got a phone call from a man who said he was a friend of yours," Mrs. Porter said, looking at her son. "He said that you'd found your car, and that you wanted me to join you since I was with you in Ocean City… though I wasn't there when it was stolen. That the police would like to talk to me," she quickly amended.

"And you went, didn't call me?" Porter asked, not scolding, but just surprised.

"I did, the voice sounded so familiar, I wasn't sure," Mrs. Porter said, tears in her eyes. "So I went and I tried to call you when I reached the alley where the car was, but you didn't answer."

"I must have been on my way to the police station," Porter said, looking at Beckett. "I had it on silent for my appointment, but I did see you called, I tried calling back, but like I said, I couldn't get a hold of you."

"What did you do next Mrs. Porter," Beckett asked, to get their attention back to the attack.

"Yes, well, I went to the car, as I could see someone inside in the passenger seat, and I thought it was my son," Mrs. Porter said. "But when they stepped out, it was a man, a tall man in a hood, with huge sunglasses, and then a bandana around his mouth. He had a gun, and told me not to yell for help or else he would shoot me. And he made me get closer… and then hit me on the head here," she said, indicating the bruise on her temple. "When I fell he just started hitting me over and over and over. I don't know what made him stop, but eventually he did and ran off."

"So were you unable to see anything of your attacker?" Beckett asked. "I know they had their face completely hidden, but anything would help."

"All except their nose," Mrs. Porter said. "It was long, a bump right here at the bridge. "I noticed that pretty quickly as I was walking to him while he was holding the gun on me."

"Did he have an accent?" Castle asked from behind Beckett.

"No, just a very gravelly voice," Mrs. Porter replied, shaking her head. "It was a little disturbing."

"I'm wondering, if you could tell me if you know this woman?" Beckett asked, showing her the picture of their last victim she'd brought with them to the hospital.

"I… yes, it's Eva," Mrs. Porter said. "Why… oh no. Wes, don't tell me that she's…" she started to say, looking at her son before she burst into tears.

"I'm sorry Ma," Porter said with a frown. "They were friends; she was kind of an assistant to Eva when Jace and I were with the Silver Hammers. Can I take her home now?"

"Does your building have a secured entrance?" Beckett asked Mrs. Porter.

"Yeah, a doorman," she said, taking the tissue her son handed her to wipe her cheeks.

"Okay, then I'd like you to go to your mother's apartment with her," Beckett told Porter. "I'll have an officer in the lobby. And I'm wondering if I could ask if Mr. Basingstoke and Mr. Yates could stay with you for the time being? For their protection as well."

"Yes, oh… uh, sorry Ma," Porter said. "Is-"

A little surprised at the way the man had blanched; Castle looked at his mother and saw the frown on her face. "Do you not get along with the rest of the band Mrs. Porter?" he asked, seeing his fiancée glance slightly over her shoulder towards him.

"No, no, I do, it's just I hate that this band has taken my son away from me," Mrs. Porter replied. "He tours so much… but no, I do not want those two to be harmed; I would never forgive myself. They can stay with us as long as they need."

"Then you can check her out Mr. Porter," Beckett said to him. "Just allow me to get an escort for you and to set everything up before I let you leave."

Holding the door open for her, Castle watched his fiancée go down the hall while talking to the station on her phone. He saw Ryan approaching them, and he hurried to pass Beckett to talk to him first so she could finish her conversation. "Anything new?" he asked.

"Yeah, CSU is in the men's locker room, looking at the locker of the guy our first vic dated," Ryan replied. "Found this in the false bottom of it," he said, showing Castle a picture on his phone.

"A fake mustache?" Beckett asked, standing behind him.

"And color contacts," Ryan replied. "They're an extra set. But other than that… I don't have much to tell you that I didn't tell you when I first looked into this guy. But they said he had a gravelly voice, if that helps. Did she… she did," he said, trailing off at Castle and Beckett's slightly surprised expressions. "So what else did she say?" he then asked, nodding behind them.

"Could only see the nose of her attacker," Beckett replied. "I'll have to call the sketch artist if Espo is still at the car."

"He is," Ryan said before he looked past them.

Turning, Castle and Beckett watched as the Porters came up to them, and she quickly said, "An officer is on his way, he'll escort you home. Do you have a landline Mrs. Porter?"

"No, just a cell phone," the woman said.

"Alright, then I would ask if you'd not answer any calls from numbers you don't know," Beckett said. "And should you do get a call, I need you to call this number; mine; so we can trace it and see if your attacker is trying to bring you out into the open again."

"Of course, thank you Detective," Mrs. Porter said.

"Officer Hirsh is here," Castle murmured to his fiancée.

"Good thing the car was so close to the hospital," Ryan said. "Ma'am," he then said to Mrs. Porter. "My name is Detective Ryan, I'm investigating the case along with Detective Beckett, Mr. Castle here and another partner, I'm wondering if you know a Bob Kentwood? He worked here at the hospital."

"Not really, I work in the neo-natal ward," Mrs. Porter said. "Never met anyone by that name."

"Okay, I was just wondering," Ryan said.

"Ma'am, sir, if you'll follow me, we can head back to your apartment," Officer Hirsh said to the two.

"So this Kentwood," Beckett said once the others were gone. "Did he have a nose that had been broken at some point, was kind of long?" she asked Ryan.  
"No, it was a long nose, but it kind of tilted up and was smooth from bridge to tip," he replied. "Taking a chance, I showed the nurses that knew this guy pictures of the entire band, and no luck."

"Let's get back to the Precinct, we need to update the murder board, and come at this another way, because how we're going at the moment, we're not going to be so lucky that our next victim is attacked instead of killed," Beckett said with a sigh before she led the two men to the elevators.

* * *

"Alright, checking again on Bob Kentwood, nothing new to report," Ryan said, coming into the conference room where Castle and Beckett had been quietly talking to each other, Castle facing her and both of them with serious expressions on their faces as he turned around. "…Am I interrupting something?" he asked.

"No, what do you have?" Beckett asked quickly. She glanced at her fiancé as he stepped away from her and turned around. They'd been talking about their supposed date that night, trying to make sure they knew what they were going to do once they "discovered" each other at the restaurant. She tried to focus on what Ryan was saying, but found it a little hard. "So obviously he posed as an intern, but I'm wondering how easily he was hired," she said after he'd told them Kentwood had a brand new ID card and social security number.

"Unfortunately, the hospital is strapped for interns and nurses, so they were desperate, he was under a probation for two months though," Ryan said. "Luckily he knew what he was doing, so… he didn't kill anyone through malpractice."

"You know," Castle said, having sat at the table while Ryan had been talking. "I'm wondering about the two vics he chose from the hospital."

"A connection there?" Beckett asked. She breathed out deeply as she considered that, and then nodded. "There could be," she said as she picked up a marker and began to write down _Manhattan General_ , along with the names of their first vic and then Mrs. Porter. "And then there's the Silver Hammers."

"What if," Castle said, standing up and going to stand next to her. "The killer was someone associated… somehow with the Silver Hammers and was also a doctor or nurse at Manhattan General?"

"Motive?" Ryan asked, sharing a look with Beckett when Castle didn't speak for a while.

"He's doing something illegal…" he began before trailing off slowly. "The concerts this band must have done," he said, tapping the old band's name. "Maybe he passed out drugs, and the manager; Eva Kellogg; caught him and had him arrested. This is revenge. No, actually Jason Sunderland caught him, and he and his lover, Kellogg, had him arrested, with Mrs. Porter helping at some point."

"I can call Mrs. Porter," Ryan suggested.

"I need to, since she's likely only going to realize she can trust my number," Beckett corrected him. She took her phone out of her pocket, pausing at the time for a moment before she started to dial the number they had for the woman.

"You could call her first," Castle suggested, looking at his watch at her pause.

"This comes first for now," Beckett said. "Then I call her, but before five and Lanie comes over."

"Oh yeah, I wanted to ask about that, why is she going over?" Castle asked.

"Why are you being so nosy?" Beckett shot back though she wasn't really that negative in her tone. "Mrs. Porter?" she then said as the woman picked up the phone. "Yes, this is Detective Beckett, thank you for answering. I'm wondering if there was ever an instance while you were with the Silver Hammers band where there was drug dealing going on at the concerts or else… okay, are the other two men there?" She nodded though the woman couldn't see it, and then hung up saying, "No drugs, at least not as far as they knew."

"Didn't hurt to try," Castle said.

"No, but we're at zero, no suspect, and the threat of another murder," Beckett said with a heavy sigh. "Esposito needs to get back here, now."

"Ask and ye shall receive," Castle said. When his fiancée gave him a look he nodded outside the room, to where their partner was approaching the doorway, carrying something in his hands.

"You found the box?" Beckett asked, recognizing the shape as the one in the picture taken at Sunderland's apartment.

"Our Ark of the Covenant?" Castle then added, earning him a quick jab to the side from his fiancée. "Sorry, it pretty much is. Anything could be in there, I'm betting the Holy Grail."

"Well, whatever's in it, it's kind of heavy," Esposito said, setting the box onto the table. "And locked pretty securely, as you can see."  
Turning the dials at the top, Beckett saw they were all letters and not numbers. "A password lock," she said.

"It's a codex," Castle said in amazement. "I wonder if there's a vial of vinegar in here, and if we try to force it open, it'll break and dissolve everything inside."

"I don't think so, there something hard inside of it, so it wouldn't dissolve," Esposito said as Beckett tried the word silver, since there were six dials.

"I need to call Mr. Porter now," she said as there was no click to let them know she'd been correct. She dialed the number for the man, and after speaking with him she hung up telling the three men waiting, "He doesn't know, no idea that Sunderland had this box either. So for the time being," she said as she grabbed Castle's wrist; since he'd been fiddling with the letters and had just spelled out brooms; with her index finger and thumb and pulled it off the box. "Tell us what we have with the car; and was this dusted for prints?"

"It was; no prints though. Why brooms dude?" Esposito asked.

"From Paul's song _Broomsticks_ , had that stuck in my head for a while," Castle said, glancing at Beckett who he could see was fighting a smile; knowing she'd guessed he'd listened to that with their daughter while helping her get dressed.

"Okay, so with the car, it was in great shape; can understand why Porter was so happy it got found," Esposito continued. "CSU spent a good chunk of time dusting every surface they could reach and-"

"Nothing?" Ryan, Castle and Beckett said together.

"Pretty much," Esposito said. "Found some hairs, but they'll need to get a sample from Porter to see if it's his hair."  
"I wouldn't be surprised if they were," Ryan said. "If this killer's trying to set up Porter…"

"That would make sense," Castle said as Beckett nodded in agreement. "He killed Sunderland; and everyone else; why not have everyone think it's his band mate and long time friend, though they weren't chummy, according to him."

"Though we have a solid alibi, Porter going to his girlfriend's apartment once back in the city and not leaving until his dentist appointment," Beckett commented. "Anything else Espo?"

"Not really," he said. "Not until we got to the trunk," Esposito told them while he was opening a file he'd had on top of the box. "This is what it looked like when it was first opened. And each item separately of course."

"The box, a blanket," Castle said as Beckett went through the pictures. "A notebook… do you have that?"

"CSU took it, but they let me open it up and had a picture taken," Esposito said.

"A picture?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah, a picture," Beckett said before Esposito could answer. "The killer just had these two pages filled out." She tilted the picture towards Castle and Ryan, so they could see the drawings of guitars and a silver hammer, colored in with a colored pencil.

"Huh, he's a good artist, but creepy at the same time," Castle commented.

"Okay, so that was it, well, we know one thing," Beckett said, handing the picture to Ryan to put up on the board. "The killer's been sleeping in the car. But we're a little out of luck with the car itself."

"Tried to find it but…" Esposito said before trailing off.

"I'm not surprised you didn't," Beckett said, nodding her head. She sighed and said, "Alright, we've been working pretty steadily for a while now. Take a five minute break, and then let's get back to this case, we'll go from the start again, and hope we won't get another interruption." With that she left the room and went to the break room, getting a bottle of water before jerking slightly when her phone shook.

"What is it?" Castle asked, coming into the room seeing her looking at her phone.

"Where are they?" Beckett asked.

"At their desks," Castle said. "Esposito got some soda for them before we had to go to the hospital and car."

Nodding, Beckett said, "It's Miss Amber's number." She dialed back the missed call, and said, "Miss Amber?"

"Yes, Ms. Beckett, your daughter was very insistent that I let you know she got here to class alright," the dance teacher said, a smile tingeing her tone. "And that she has her overnight bag."

"And I love Mommy too," Julia whispered loudly in the background.

"Put her on if that's alright," Beckett said, sharing a smile with Castle before looking at her watch.

"Hi Mommy!" Julia said. "Is Castle there?"

"I'm here sweetheart," Castle said, looking towards the door.

"Hi, I'm here, and gonna dance soon, I'll call you when I am at Celia's, is that okay?" Julia asked.

"It is sweetie; your aunt is going to be with me when you call okay?" Beckett said.

"Kay, but will you and Castle call me when you can talk?" Julia pleaded.

"Of course," Beckett said, Castle echoing her words. "You better go so Miss Amber can start the class sweetie, but we'll talk to you later and see you tomorrow okay?"

"Kay, love you Mommy, bye! Bye Castle," Julia said. "Here Miss Amber, thank you," she said, not hanging up the phone.

"Ms. Beckett?" Miss Amber said.

"Yes," Beckett replied, trying not to laugh as they could hear their daughter humming a song in the background.

"I better go, the class is about to start," Miss Amber replied.

"Thank you for letting her speak with us, hope it's a good class," Beckett told the woman before they said goodbye to each other and hung up. "What was that song she was humming?" she asked her fiancé.

"Uh… don't remember… okay, it was _Blackpool_ ," Castle said, finally giving up and saying the name in exasperation. "Come on Kate, that song is completely harmless, she had no idea what was going on in it, she just loves the music."

"Yes, but the lyric _let me tell you how I like them_?" Beckett asked, arching her eyebrow at him as she gave him a look.

"Honestly, she doesn't understand that," Castle said. "She was pretending to play the guitar, it was so sweet, I should have filmed it. Though she didn't know the chords…"

"The guitar," Beckett said as he trailed off and they looked at each other in realization before they rushed out of the break room back to the conference room together, getting Ryan and Esposito's attention immediately.

"You dropped your water Beckett," Esposito said as he and Ryan walked to the doorway to the room.

"Have you guys lost it?" Ryan asked as the two were looking at the picture of the notebook on the murder board.

"We're trying to work this out," Castle said hurriedly. "Did they get it right?"

"No, I have no idea what song they're playing here," Beckett said as they were looking at the markings on the necks of the guitars drawn. "Search for chords to the song, so I can have that as a reference just in case."

Sharing a look, Ryan and Esposito walked further into the room, glancing at each other a second time as a song started playing through Beckett's phone.

"I thought-" Esposito started to say.

"Shh, we need to hear this first verse," Castle said hurriedly as Beckett restarted the song.

"D first," Beckett said, watching Castle turn the first lock to that letter. She repeated the same line, and then said, "A… no, wait…" She formed a chord with her fingers and shook her head saying, "B, then Em."

"Should I put m too?" Castle asked.

"Just E, next is A7," Beckett said as the last lyric of the song played for a third time. "Okay, last is D and A." She went to the box as Castle put in the last letter and the top of the box popped open. Before anyone could touch the cover, she hurried out to grab some gloves, throwing the rest to the boys and her fiancé before putting on her own pair.

"I'd tell you not to look… never mind," Castle said as Beckett took the cover off. "I thought he threw those away," he said as the first thing she took out was a stack of letters.

"You're assuming they're from that so called stalker," Ryan said, he and Esposito standing to see what was inside the box as well.

"They're not from a stalker," Beckett said, having opened the first envelope. She set down the first letter, and let them read the note, made from cut out letters.

"Who does this anymore? Thought that died out, especially these days," Castle said.

"I think you might want to read what it says bro," Esposito said.

"I saw that already," Castle said simply. "I'm a speed reader remember. So he was being blackmailed," he directed to Beckett. "But for what?"

"Money," Beckett said simply, reading the second letter which asked for it specifically. "Did we check Sunderland's financials beyond the past couple days?"

"Not really, there wasn't much of a need to," Ryan said. "But I'll get on that once we empty the box."

"Maybe he didn't need to pay. And by the way, I meant what the blackmailer was holding against him," Castle said, taking a manila envelope out of the box. He handed it to his fiancée, watching her pull out a stack of photographs. "Ah, that would be sufficient reason to blackmail him," he said when they saw Sunderland in the pictures, leaning in to kiss Mrs. Porter.

"That's a little…" Ryan said.

"Gross, yeah, that's pretty gross, he's only a few years older than her son," Esposito said.

"But you realize a picture of a kiss isn't going to reveal that much," Beckett said. "They never do kiss, the pictures stop before that."

"She makes a good point," Ryan said.

"Think Mrs. Porter would say if you asked her?" Castle asked. "Though you realize the blackmailer could have just held back those pictures of any kiss."

"No, he didn't," Beckett said. "And I also know now why we're assuming the killer is the blackmailer."

"What'd you find?" Esposito asked.

"The last letter, about two weeks ago. You two checked his mail recently, right?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah, about a week's worth," Ryan said, remembering going to a neighbor's who'd gotten the mail for their vic. "And we didn't find anything looking like that envelope."

"What does it say?" Castle asked. "And another question, where was the band then?"

"I can check," Esposito said.

"I can call Yates or Basingstoke," Beckett said to stop him. She set down the last letter, and then leaned over to read it, seeing it simply said, _Washington Park, third bench from playground_. "Does that place have security cameras?"

"I'll look into it," Esposito said quickly.

"Can you check Sunderland's financials around the… fourth?" Beckett asked Ryan. When he'd left she reached into the box again and took out a spiral notebook saying, "Beside some photo albums at the bottom that's it."

"It is? Well, I guess that's the more important stuff he'd want hidden, since it was stuffed way back in this guy's closet," Castle said.

"Castle," Beckett said warningly as he stood next to her a little closely as she opened the notebook.

"They're busy," Castle said simply, though he scooted back over slightly. He expected a reply to that, but getting none, he glanced at her and then quickly down at what she was looking at in the notebook. "That's…" he began before trailing off.

"Our new suspect list," Beckett said, looking at the very first page, a picture of a group of people and written along the bottom _Silver Hammers August-October '09_.


	10. Must Go Free

Watching as Beckett hung up the phone as he sat down next to her, Castle asked, "Another person set free from our list?" as she made an x over a copy of the picture from the notebook.

"Yeah, it doesn't help we have three little black books to go through too," Beckett said, running her hands over her face. "And those little black books are not so little. You know," she said, pulling her hands away and looking at him. "I don't know how this guy wasn't sick with something or have a hundred kids."

"Uh…" Castle started to say, looking everywhere but at her.

Sighing as she remembered, Beckett said, "Alright, that's why, but he's lucky he had that, or else he'd have both. But yeah, Seth Garrett is in London right now, a sound effects producer on the set of the latest Brad Pitt movie. The director; of sound; assures me if he was here during the times of the murders, he'd be out of a job and also have to explain why all his work has been completed."

"Okay, then, how much do you have left?" Castle asked, able to tell that his fiancée was stressed out. He leaned over the desk, looking at the picture and the people that she was contacting. "Look, only two left," he pointed out. "And after that you can head home."

"Yeah, to Lanie and her putting me into who knows what for…" Beckett started to say before looking towards Ryan and Esposito. Since they were on the phone and not looking towards them she said quietly, "Our date. But… I'm just trying to remember the dinner afterwards. Though Castle, I may not be able to do this tonight, there are just a ton of people in those photo albums."

"Who are virtually untraceable," he said. "No names, just pictures remember. And I should let you know, the boys were talking about having Ryan stay tonight if it's necessary."

Breathing out at that, Beckett couldn't fight her smile and said, "Lanie strikes again." She laughed softly at Castle's nod of his head, and picked up the phone before she could reach over to squeeze his hand in thanks for making her laugh and relax; if only for a brief moment.

As she made the second to last call, Castle went over to the conference room to look at the murder board again. In the time since the attack on Mrs. Porter, there hadn't been another murder called in, and he and Beckett had theorized that it was more than likely their killer was murdering because of the past and the Silver Hammers band. He took down the picture of their first vic, frowning a little as that one still was bothering him. There was something at the back of his mind that he couldn't really explain, though he guessed it had to do with the fact that their killer had obviously disguised himself. He heard footsteps coming up to the door then and he looked up to see it was his fiancée. "All set?" he asked.

"Yeah, and nothing, I was just going to ask Ryan and Espo if they've had any more luck than me," Beckett said before she left. "Guys," she called as she saw they were talking to each other hurriedly. "You have something?" she asked, a little bit of a hopeful tone edging into her voice.

"Got two names we weren't able to get a hold of," Esposito said. "Right here on the top of the picture. A Tyrone Max and Rosalyn Pierce."

"Have you searched them?" Beckett asked.

"I just searched for Max, and am about to call his brother," Esposito said. "Or should you make the call."

Beckett nodded, and after he'd dialed, set the call to speakerphone. She glanced at Castle next to her, seeing he was looking at the copy of the band picture. A stressed voice on the other end caught her attention and she quickly said, "Yes, I'm looking for Patrick Max, is this him?"

"Yeah," the man said. "Look I don't really have time-"

"My name is Detective Beckett, Mr. Max, I'm with the NYPD, and I'm wondering if you've been in contact with your brother lately," Beckett said quickly before he could hang up. She looked at the others as there was a muffled sound of yelling and said, "Sir, I'm prepared to-"

"No, he's here, Ty just has a raging hangover," the man said quickly. "So I don't know how much help he'll be. But if you want to talk to him I can keep him here."

"Thank you, there'll be two detectives on their way," Beckett said before she hung up.

"Dude better not throw up in our car," Esposito said as he and Ryan got up to leave. "And you better have some strong coffee ready for him Castle."

"What about the woman?" Ryan said.

"I'll look into her, see what I can get," Beckett said simply. Once the two were gone she went to her desk, and said, before her fiancé could sit, "Shouldn't you be getting that coffee?"

"Is this for you or Hungover Max?" Castle asked. He wasn't surprised when she shook her head, and he sat down next to her saying, "It can wait. I'd like to see what you get on this woman."

"You think it's her?" Beckett asked, looking at him in surprise.

"Not really, but she could help," Castle said before information came up at Beckett's search. They both read what there was together, and he said, "So she's a ghost."

"It looks like it, and time to make a call to the Porters," Beckett said, getting her cell phone. "Mr. Porter? Yes this is Detective Beckett again, I… he's there? I'll need to talk to Colton later. For now I need to ask you and your mother about two people you knew, back when you were with the Silver Hammers."

"Go ahead," Porter said. "I have you on speaker."

"We've come into contact with a Tyrone Max-" Beckett started to say.

"Ty? Oh yeah, I haven't seen him for a couple months," Porter said.

"He can't be your killer," Mrs. Porter said as Beckett and Castle shared a look. "He's a good friend, and I don't think he could hurt anyone."

"We'll need to verify that," Beckett said.

"How did you find out about Ty?" Porter asked.

"We found a picture of the Silver Hammers," Beckett replied simply. "And another name we came up with, Rosalyn Pierce." She glanced at her fiancé in surprise when there was a long moment of silence and said, "Mr. Porter?"

"Yeah, sorry, just, that brought back memories. Rosie was the only one set against the band breaking up," Porter said.

"Vehemently," Mrs. Porter added.

"I wasn't lying when I told you the break up was amicable, it's just she was alone so it was easy to forget," Porter said quickly.

"And have you been in contact with her at all?" Beckett asked.

"No, I haven't seen her since 2009," Porter replied. "I heard from one of the sound guys, Colin Spivey, that she kinda disappeared about two, three years ago," Porter said. "You might want to talk to Jay Solomon, he always tried to get involved with her romantically, never worked out, but he might have tried to keep in contact with her."

"Was she involved with anyone else in the band?" Beckett asked, knowing from the look on Castle's face that he wanted to ask the same thing.

"Not as far I know," Porter said.

When Beckett had hung up with the two; after thanking them for the information; Castle said, "She's looking more and more suspicious."

"I'd be interested to know if she could hit our last vic as hard as Kellogg was," Beckett said, searching the name they'd been given. When she'd gotten a number, she called the man and was surprised when he immediately responded to the name Rosalyn Pierce.

"Yeah, man, it was… so sad what happened to her after we disbanded," Solomon said. "She went into drugs pretty hard a few years ago, and died of an overdose in Little Rock."

"Are you sure?" Beckett asked, looking at Castle in surprise.

"Yeah, from what I heard, was a bathroom in a bar, she was shooting up," Solomon said.

Since Ryan had talked to the man already, Beckett thanked him and hung up before getting a number for the Little Rock police. As she was dialing she could feel her fiancé's gaze on her and said, "I have no clue why that's not in her information."

"I'm sure you'll find out," Castle said, nodding to the elevators.

Glancing over, Beckett saw Ryan come out first, struggling with something before LT rushed over to help him. She wasn't at all surprised to see that it was Tyrone Max that was struggling against him, yelling something about him not knowing he'd been with an underage girl. She looked up at Castle, and nodded to the break room so he could make a cup of coffee for the man, who was finally wrestled into the first interrogation room the boys and LT could get him inside of. She then had to turn her attention to the phone, as someone finally took her off hold in Little Rock.

After getting a cup of the strongest coffee he knew how to make, Castle went to observation, looking on as Ryan was asking him about the first three vics.

"Nah, don't know," Max said, seeming to be calmer after being told the woman he'd slept with the night before was not underage after all.

"And these two?" Esposito asked, putting down the pictures of their last two victims.

"Yeah, Jace, and Eva," Max said with a laugh. "Wait," he said, his head shooting up to look at them. "They're not dead right… five people?"

"So you know these last two, why don't you tell us about them," Ryan said.

"Uh, yeah, they're, he was Paul in our band the Silver Hammers, and Eva was manager," Max said slowly. "He's a great guy… was a great guy, Eva too. They were… who did this?"

As the boys asked Max about his alibis for the five murders, Castle looked over as the door opened and his fiancée walked inside. "Well?" he asked her quickly.

"Apparently Rosalyn Pierce was her married name. Just before she died, she went back to her maiden name after her divorce went through, Rosalyn Wilder," Beckett replied, looking in on the interview. "How does he look?"

"Like a man who hadn't seen his good friends in a while, only to find out they're dead," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when Beckett breathed out a heavy sigh and said, "I don't know if his alibis will check out of course…"  
"No, but you can tell," Beckett replied. "And the underage girl?"

"A mistake, drunken mistake, she's twenty-two, LT got it confirmed so he'd talk to Esposito and Ryan," Castle said. "So what do we do?"

"I'm thinking of something we need to do ourselves," Beckett said.

"Scrapbook?" Castle asked. When she nodded, he followed her out of the room and back to the conference room where the scrapbook was. "I have to wonder why the killer didn't just destroy the box and get to whatever they wanted inside."

"The scrapbook," Beckett reminded him. "And they probably didn't have a chance. Planning and committing five murders and trying to commit a sixth can take up a lot of time."

Sitting at the table next to her, Castle looked on as she flipped through the pages until they came to the last three pages they hadn't looked at, as Gates had insisted they search for the people in the picture of the band. When she got to the second to last page, he grabbed her hand tightly, staying her from getting to the next page.

"What?" Beckett asked, surprised as she looked at him. At his nod, she turned her attention to the picture on the right page, at the very bottom. It was of a man with their second to last vic and the two Porters at what she thought was a hospital. That was confirmed when she read the writing underneath the picture, and saw it read, _Mayes, me, Wes and Mrs. L, July '09_. Getting her phone, she called the Porters, asking them about the man named Mayes.

"So is there anyone else that left the band before that group picture that we should know about?" Beckett was asking as Castle watched. When she hung up shortly after he asked, "No one?"

"Alfred Mayes was the only one to 'jump ship' as Porter put it," Beckett replied. "He moved to Arkansas after leaving, to take up his family's lumber business. Mayes never kept in touch after moving though."

"Hey, Max is a bust," Esposito replied. "Got a hold of his brother when we finished talking to him, and Max was doing a bar crawl for the past two days."

"Any reason why?" Castle asked as Ryan came up behind.

"He's getting married next week," he said as the others looked at him. "That's why he was panicking about sleeping with someone. He's still panicking actually, asked us not to tell his fiancée."

"Alright, get in contact with his friends, if he had anything with-" Beckett started to say.

"I did, the groomsman and best man actually, it took little time to get confirmation, but I also got the names of the bars they could remember they were at, at the times of the murders," Ryan said. "If you'd like me to check on them to be absolutely sure."

"Check just one," Beckett said.

"What about Ms. Pierce?" Esposito asked when he'd left.

"She overdosed a few years ago, in Arkansas," Beckett said, looking at Castle. "And we found someone with the band, but who left before that group picture was taken, an Alfred Mayes. We'll check on him, can you look into Washington Park?"

"On it," Esposito said with a nod before he left the room, Castle and Beckett following to get to her desk.

"Alfred Mayes, he was arrested for drug possession…" Beckett said, reading the man's record first.  
"Drugs, I knew-" Castle started to say.

"Back in 2001," Beckett said. "And there's no other record of drugs, possession or dealing."

"I was close," Castle said.

"Not that much," Beckett said simply before she opened the next page. "Castle, listen, Mayes was found in a bathroom of the Jackson BBQ and Grill in Little Rock, dead with a syringe in his arm. He OD'd the same place that Wilder died at, the same night."

"Why wasn't that mentioned… were they in separate bathrooms?" Castle asked.

"There's a notation here," Beckett said, clicking on a link which brought up the front page of the _Little Rock Chronicle_. "They were," she said, reading the article before going back to the attachment which was the police report on Mayes' death. "Everything checks out, but look, there's a notation that confirms what the officer told me in Little Rock. The Grill was well known for drug dealing, out back."

"So they both bought and got high, just not together," Castle said. He nodded and said, "I don't buy it, was there an autopsy?"

"On Mayes… no, like Wilder, he had insisted on no autopsy in his will, and his family threatened to sue the state if they went ahead with it," Beckett said. She then frowned and went hurriedly to the report for Wilder's death, and said, "I thought the name Mayes was familiar, they insisted on no autopsy for her either."

"Something weird about that," Castle said. "What if… what happened to them both?"

Looking around, Beckett found the answer and said, "Their bodies were given to the Mayes family and according to this, both were cremated, their ashes spread in the Gulf, off Louisiana. I need to contact the family."  
Castle watched her go through a number of files before she opened a newspaper article. " _Family of four found killed in home_. Don't tell me that's the Mayes family," he read in slight shock. When was that?"

"About seven months ago," Beckett said. "I need to make a call, have the Little Rock PD send the autopsy reports to Lanie, and see what she can tell me."

Castle saw that Esposito was standing in the doorway to the room where he'd been looking for footage, motioning him over. He looked at his fiancée before he left her, going to the detective. "What? We just got some weird news," he said.

"Just making sure you're going out tonight," Esposito said.

"Tell Lanie that yes I am," Castle said, rolling his eyes.

"Lanie?" Esposito asked, startled.

"Yes, I know she's trying to set me up with whoever this woman is," Castle replied simply. "And I'll meet her, I promise. But how will I find her at the restaurant?"

"Lanie said she'll be wearing a necklace with a colored pendant," Esposito said.

"Okay, I just hope I find the right woman," Castle said.

"Just mention Lanie's name bro, then you'll be with the right one," Esposito replied.

"What if two friends of Lanie's are there?" Castle asked. He wasn't surprised when the detective just looked at him, and he was about to speak when Beckett and Ryan approached the doorway at the same time.

"Let's hear what we all have, Ryan, you can go first," Beckett said.

"Right, well, the bars I called; their trips to them overlapped the times of the first two murders; confirmed that they were there, they have security footage which is on my computer," he said. "If you want to see."

"I trust what you saw; cut Max loose; Espo?" Beckett said with a nod.

"No cameras near that bench, and I went through the footage at the time the pick up was supposed to happen, got this," Esposito said, showing them the image he'd printed from the TV. "Though," he said as the other three crowded around to look at the picture of the man he'd recognized from the other footage they had. "We don't have anything but just barely the side of his face. Oh, and the sketch artist called me, no luck, even with a nose."

"As I was expecting," Beckett said. "Alright, as for what Castle and I got, we should go to my desk so you can see the reports and articles we found." Once they were around her computer, she explained what they'd discovered, and how she'd tried to get the autopsy reports on the Mayes family, but had been unable to reach the coroner, who'd gone home early to start vacation. "They're going to try and reach him, and then get the files to Lanie in the morning before he leaves, but other than that we don't have much." She jumped suddenly when she felt her phone start to shake before it started to ring, and she hurriedly pulled it out.

"Lanie?" Beckett asked in slight surprise. "Yes, I'm aware of the time, okay, I'll leave as soon as I wrap things up here, bye." Looking at the three men she rolled her eyes and said, "If you have to know, I'm going out tonight, at her insistence."

"Alright, well, I can stay late," Ryan said, Esposito echoing him. "Anything we could do since it sounds like you need to leave now."

"We're a little dead in the water, so I would like you both to contact the family of Sunderland and Kellogg, mention Mayes and Wilder, and then try the friends of those two," Beckett told them.

"We're of the opinion they faked their deaths with the help of Mayes' family, and are working together," Castle said, though he and Beckett hadn't spoken about it.

"Got it, have fun, and you on your date too Castle," Ryan said.

"Yeah, have a nice night. Thank you guys," Beckett said as she'd been packing her bag. "Call if you have anything." And with that she was slinging her bag over her shoulder, knowing her fiancé was watching her, wondering how things would go since their arranged night out had arrived.


	11. Take You Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have some lyrics here, the first ones are from the song The Art of Dying, and the first verse of the second song is from Wah-Wah. Both are by George Harrison from his album All Things Must Pass.

As she stepped into her friend's apartment, Lanie shook her head as she realized that her ears had not been deceiving her, and Beckett was in fact playing music as loudly as she could. She listened to the song; expecting something from The Ramones or KISS she knew her friend played when she was irritated. But instead found it was someone else, and as she walked to the bedroom; not bothering to call out as she knew Beckett wouldn't hear her; she had to pause a couple steps later at the lyrics.

_There'll come a time when all your hopes are fading  
When things that seemed so very plain  
Become an awful pain  
Searching for the truth among the lying  
And answered when you've learned the art of dying_

Shaking her head again at the last line, Lanie came into the room and caught sight of Beckett at her bathroom mirror, putting makeup on. She went to the player her friend had attached to her port, and was going to stop the song when Beckett sang the final verses and she looked over at the bathroom with wide eyes.

_But you're still with me  
But if you want it  
Then you must find it  
But when you have it  
There'll be no need for it_

_There'll come a time when most of us return here  
Brought back by our desire to be  
A perfect entity  
Living through a million years of crying  
Until you've realized the art of dying  
Do you believe me?_

Whirling around as the song cut off right as the ending instrumental began; Beckett saw Lanie's expression and asked, "What's wrong with you?"

"Me? Girlfriend, are you thinking about-" the doctor began to ask.

"No! Are you crazy," Beckett said, going to the player and skipping to another song. "I have Julia to think of. It's just a song."

"Speaking of Julia, has she heard that?" Lanie asked. When her friend shook her head firmly she breathed out a little in relief and said, "Good thing, because that scared me, hearing you sing that. Who is that? Not Paul-"

"George, her second favorite," Beckett said, turning down the volume on the song. "Sorry, I felt like singing."

"Let me choose the song before I pick out your dress," Lanie said, slapping her hand away from the player as the first lines of the song played.

_Wah-wah  
You've given me a wah-wah  
And I'm thinking of you  
And all the things we used to do_

"What does that mean?" Lanie asked before setting another song. "And this is much better."

" _I'd Have You Anytime_? That's fantastic Lanie, I'm not sleeping with this guy," Beckett said, shaking her head though the song was one of her favorites. "And that song before is the name of a pedal used in guitar playing which I had to find out for my daughter."

"It means more than that doesn't it?" Lanie asked, looking through Beckett's dresses.

"It doesn't matter," she said quickly, since she knew it also meant that the person the singer was talking about was giving them a headache; that they, George, was angry about being used; in that case by John and Paul. She hadn't chosen it to say that to her friend, just wanted the music to calm her down a little. "So, anything?" she asked as she went to finish with her lipstick. Coming into the room, she was about to look to see what Lanie had picked out, when her phone began to ring. "It's Julia," she said before answering the phone and going to video so she could see her daughter. "Hey sweetie."

Lanie hid a smile at the sight of the smile that was on Beckett's face, remembering again how happy she was for her friend; since Julia was the best thing that could have happened to her. Beckett had changed greatly since adopting her daughter, and there were times when Lanie wondered if she really needed to be with someone. Shaking her head of her thoughts, she turned her attention back to her friend saying, "How's she doing?"

"Hi Aunt Lanie," Julia said, seeing her when her mother turned the phone. "I'm good I'm playing dress up with Celia."

"Sounds like it's a lot of fun," Lanie replied, seeing the little girl was wearing something embroidered, wrapped around her shoulders. "Have fun at your sleepover and I'll see you soon I'm sure."

"Kay, bye!" Julia said, waving at her. "Are you still gonna go have dinner Mommy?"

"I am, but I'll see you tomorrow, I promise," Beckett assured her. "For now listen to Celia's mom and be careful playing with your costume."

"I will, bye Mommy," Julia said, waving to her.

Kissing her fingertips towards her daughter, Beckett smiled widely when Julia copied the motion, and she hung up the phone, looking at her friend. "What?" she asked, seeing the smile on her face. "Too sappy?" she said.

"No, no, it's so sweet to watch you with her," Lanie assured her. "Just happy at your relationship with her. By the way, what was she wearing?"

"It's a folk dance dress my dad got her from Spain," Beckett replied. "This one," she said, getting her phone and going to the picture of Julia wearing it. She watched her friend a little worriedly, wondering if she'd notice it was taken at Castle's place.

"That's so sweet, and I bet she loves it," Lanie said.

"She does, though it's heavy," Beckett replied. "Pretty heavy."

"That tone of voice… Kate, have you worn one of those?" Lanie asked.

"When I was nine," Beckett said. "So it was a while ago, but that I remember clearly."

"Your daughter is very adorable. Alright," Lanie replied, taking a little longer to reply to that. When Beckett came back into the room after putting something away in the bathroom she said, "Your best option is one of these," setting down two dresses on the bed.

"Okay," Beckett replied, trying not to smile as her friend had picked out exactly what she'd been hoping she would. She took the dress she'd worn on Valentine's Day from Lanie and considered it. "No, not this one," before she hung it back up.

"And why not?" Lanie asked as Beckett was looking at the other dress.

"Way too tight, I think I just told you that I don't want to sleep with this guy," she replied simply. "And I'll wear this one."

"That was kind of my reason for picking that one, but alright," Lanie said. "At least this one is still good."

"Right, so can I get dressed or are you staying around?" Beckett asked, taking the dress off its hanger.

"I'll go, but promise me you'll go and not cancel at the last minute," Lanie said.

"I promise, because I'm going to guess you told this guy to call you in case that happens?" Beckett asked.

"Pretty much," Lanie said. "Tell me how it goes tomorrow."  
"I will," Beckett said. "And Lanie?" When her friend had turned around to face her she said, "I know you're trying to help, and I do appreciate that just… let me decide if I like him at all okay. Whatever his name is."

"I know, and I'll let you," Lanie said. "I don't think I could decide for you anyway girl."

Once her friend had left Beckett sighed and took off the towel that had been wrapped around her, slipping into the dress she'd picked. It was the same one she'd worn on Mother's Day, and she only hoped that Castle would remember they needed to put on an act as she looked at herself in the mirror, a small smirk making her lips turn up slightly.

* * *

Standing in the entrance of Le Circe, Castle glanced around once before his eyes went back to the door. As he'd looked over the dining area, it hadn't been that hard to see Lanie and Esposito sitting at a table far in the back. He had to wonder what the two had planned on doing if he and Beckett had been seated near them. But he knew Lanie, and guessed that more than likely they'd have had the waiter or waitress seat them somewhere else. He suppressed a smile at that thought, and looked over at the door as it opened to see if it was his fiancée coming inside.

It was. And he nearly paused at seeing her for too long before he turned slightly aside. After he felt he'd paused long enough looking in that direction, Castle turned his head, and schooled his features into an expression of surprise before he walked over to Beckett, sure that Lanie and Esposito were looking their way.

"They're talking," Esposito said at their table. "You better hope this works, because…" He trailed off, as Beckett looked irritated and shook her head at Castle before smiling slightly at him. When she briefly touched his arm and then turned to leave the restaurant, he looked over at Lanie, hearing her groan in disappointment. "She looked pretty pissed," he commented.

"I'm going to hear about this tomorrow I'm sure," Lanie replied. "Or not, you know how she can be."

"You might get one of her looks though, so I wouldn't really recommend asking her how the date was," Esposito replied, looking back at Castle. "And don't try and set something else up again," he said, seeing the writer was handing the woman he'd started talking to a card. "Since it looks like he might not be single for too long."

"Well," Lanie said as Castle then left. "There's always hope she'll stay with that guy she came in with."

"You know he can really easily hook up with another woman," Esposito said. Not trying to tell her it was useless but trying to remind her that they couldn't really control the love lives of their friends. "For all we know, he's heading to The Old Haunt or some bar now. So we got a pretty nice table, why don't we try and make the best of the rest of the night?"

"Fine," Lanie said, turning off her phone after checking to see if she'd received a text from her friend. She watched Esposito flag down a waiter, and picked up the menu, trying not to remember Beckett's annoyed expression when she guessed she and Castle had realized they'd been set up.

* * *

Standing at the edge, Beckett glanced up at the sky, and what little stars she could see, before she heard the sound of the door opening. "Crowded?" she called.

"Pretty much," Castle said in response. "But I got everything."

"Great," Beckett said, taking the food and drinks. "Can you move the table over to the edge?"

"Sure, any reason why you didn't do it?" Castle asked her.

"In a dress? Not going to happen," Beckett said in reply.

"Maybe you wanted to admire my physique while I was carrying the table and chairs," Castle said teasingly.

"Keep thinking that," Beckett said, rolling her eyes. But once he'd set down the table and their dinner was on it, she kissed him gently. "Did you manage to see what they were doing?" she asked him as she handed him her engagement ring.

"Lanie looked to be a little embarrassed, Espo was talking to her," Castle said, taking the ring and sliding it over her finger before kissing the back of her hand. "So we'll have to wait and see what'll be the result of our act."

"Yeah," Beckett said before he kissed her. That kiss was a little longer, but finally they parted and she sat down in the first chair he brought over. Setting out their food she couldn't help say to him as he came back with his chair, "I feel a little strange eating dressed in this."

"And getting it too," Castle said, sitting next to her. "Got a couple strange looks while I was in line, but," he said with a shrug. "It was worth it."

Setting her phone on the table, Beckett explained to her fiancé's glance, "Julia's going to call, well, Anita is, but she'll let Julia talk of course."

"Of course, you know, I wonder if we should give her one of those phones they have for children now," Castle said as they got their food set.

"I think, when she's in grade school, we should get her one," Beckett said. "But the simplest phone there is. Our daughter is not having a smart phone until she's at least fourteen." At Castle's pause in taking a sip of his milkshake, she asked, "When would you have let Alexis have them?"

"Maybe the same age, maybe thirteen," he replied. "I'm not surprised though, I'd like her to want to go outside, not sit inside with her phone. So we're in agreement."

"Good, though at some point we're going to have problems with agreeing you know," Beckett said after they'd eaten for a little. "Dating?" she said when Castle looked at her questioningly.

"I… don't think that's something we'll have to be concerned about," he said hesitatingly.

"You get that feeling too?" Beckett asked, though she wasn't surprised.

"Yeah, but you know, we're being a little too presumptuous about that, she's only five," Castle said. "So we don't need to settle that now."

"Speaking of Julia," Beckett said, wiping her hands quickly before she answered her phone that had begun to ring. "Hello?"

"Hello Kate, I'm here with Julia," Anita said on the other end. "I just wanted to let you know she's doing fine and she'll hang up with you."

"Alright, thank you again Anita," Beckett said before the phone switched and they were looking at their daughter. "Hey sweetie," she said with a smile.

"Hi Mommy, hi Castle," Julia said, smiling widely. "Are you eating dinner?"

"We are, on the roof," Castle said. "We'll try and do that again with you this summer."

"So you didn't have dinner at the date?" Julia asked.

"No, we were able to come back here," Beckett said. "How was it playing dress up?" she asked, wanting to turn the attention from their supposed date to her.

"Fun, Celia liked the skirt, and we tried to dance but couldn't," Julia said. "Think they will teach me where Grandpapa goes?"

"They will, if he's right about even the kids dancing that at parties," Castle said. "But speaking of your costume, how was it at school, what did you learn about Spain?"

"Oh! Mrs. Clayton asked what my hair ribbons were for, I told her I had the dress and she let me show everyone the apron," Julia said excitedly. "And we learned about where the dress comes from."

"Really? Carbajales isn't in the book," Beckett commented.

"Mrs. Clayton went on the computer and we watched some of the dancing," Julia said. "And I showed the shoes too, I let the girls try it on if it fit on their feet. They fit, sorry."

Glancing at Castle at their daughter's apology, Beckett said, "Anything else from the book?"

"No, I have to bring it back tomorrow, 'cause we graduate the day after," Julia explained. "I'm gonna tell Mrs. Clayton to look at more about Madrid, 'cause we're gonna go there right?"

"We will, and as much of the city as possible. But we'll go more than one time, should make it an annual trip like your father does. That and San Francisco," Castle commented.

"Ireland too," Beckett said, unable to help smiling as she squeezed his hand at the earnest ring to his tone before he nodded to her suggestion.

"Good, now what do you do after dinner?" Julia asked.

"We're not sure yet," Beckett said. "Maybe play chess?"

"Watch movies," Castle said, not surprised at her slightly suggestive look with that; remembering the last time they'd played the game in the Hamptons. "We'll see."

"Alright Julia, it's time for you to go to bed okay?" Beckett said, looking at her watch. "Like I told you before, I'll see you tomorrow, but I meant me and Castle."

Giggling a little at that, Julia nodded saying, "I know, 'cause you were with Aunt Lanie. But I wish you could pick me up."

"You might get a surprise tomorrow," Beckett said, not surprised when her fiancé looked at her in response to that. "But I need to see okay? For now you better go."

"Kay, night Castle," Julia said, waving to the screen.

"Goodnight Julia, I love you," Castle said, unable to help smile at Julia's furious nodding of her head.

"I love you too sweetie," Beckett then said. "Night."

"Love you too Mommy, bye," Julia said, waving to them both before she pressed a button on the phone.

"What's the surprise?" Castle asked when the screen had gone black and she'd turned off her phone.

"I'm not sure yet," Beckett said simply. "It depends on how things go tomorrow."

"Speaking of that, has Ryan contacted you at all?" Castle asked.

"No, and by now he's likely left the station," Beckett said, looking at the time. "But if we get anything I'm sure I'll be getting a call tomorrow."

"Okay," Castle said simply. "By the way, how is your milkshake?"

"You can tell Julia you got me a good one," Beckett said simply with a wry smile on her face. "It's pretty good. But now you reminded me of something I needed to tell you. I called my dad coming back here to extend your invitation to the beach house."

"And did he agree?" Castle asked interestedly.

"He did, though he's not the biggest beach person," Beckett said. "He thought Julia would want him to go though, since we talked about setting up a room for him."

"Even if we hadn't she would, she does love her grandfather," Castle pointed out. When she nodded he asked, "How was it?" since by then they'd finished eating.

"Very nice, as it always is," Beckett said simply. "Yours too I'm assuming, you didn't leave much in the way of crumbs."

"I never do," Castle said simply. "So, think you can wait here for me for a second?"

"Sure," Beckett said, a little startled at that as she watched him go. She stood up again and walked over to the edge, looking out at what she could see of the buildings taller than Castle's. She glanced down for a moment before hearing steps coming up to her. "You bought a trumpet?" she teased him by guessing what was in the long case.

"I don't think a trumpet would be too small for this box," Castle said simply.

"I meant those old ones," Beckett said.

"Sure, why not?" Castle said. He laughed slightly when Beckett pushed at him and set the case down on the cleared table. "No, this is a gift for all of us. You know how Julia's been so interested in watching _Cosmos_? By the way, I was right you know."

"Yes, and stop saying you know," Beckett said, rolling her eyes as they'd discussed letting their daughter watch the show before deciding to.

"Okay, so what's in here is…" Castle said before he raised the lid, and let her see inside.

"A telescope?" Beckett asked, slightly surprised, but not as much as she would have been had he not mentioned the show.

"I thought she'd enjoy getting to look at the stars, and," Castle began, taking it out and setting up the tripod that came with it. "You would like another one too."

"When did you talk to my dad?" Beckett asked in amusement.

"A while ago, before we got sick," Castle said. "I was going to give you this, this past weekend, but you weren't feeling that good, so held out until now." He put the magnifying lens inside the eye piece and said, "And you know, I had a feeling you hadn't always wanted to argue a case in front of the Supreme Court."

"The subject never really came up in conversation, but tell me what he told you," Beckett said, looking through the eyepiece first.

"Just that you loved to do this," Castle said. "I'm not kidding," he said quickly when she looked at him, seeming to be startled.

"He said I would explain it better?" Beckett asked with a slight smile. When he nodded she looked at the telescope and said, "I was about seven, so still young. My dad and I watched a space shuttle launch and that night I started looking up at the stars. I begged my parents for a telescope and the next time we left the city; which was that summer; I looked at the stars for the first time without the heavy light pollution that the city has. And I told them the next day, I was going to be an astronaut and see the stars close enough to touch them; not knowing of course what the stars were yet."

Smiling at the nostalgic expression on his fiancée's face, Castle said, "I said the same thing to my mom when I was eight."

"Really?" Beckett asked, stepping back so he could take a turn.

"Well, not the touch the stars part, I'd figured that out. But I had seen a repeat of some of the original _Cosmos_ episodes; the ones with Carl Sagan. And it kind of blew my mind what there might be," Castle explained. "I told my mom, that I was going to go out into space and see the planets there might be besides the ones here in the solar system. And meet the aliens there."

"I was waiting for that," Beckett said with a smile. "So I wonder if Julia's picking that up from us both."

"Her love of astronomy?" Castle asked. When she nodded he pressed his lips together for a moment and then bent over slightly to look through the eyepiece of the telescope. Jumping when he felt her slap to his back, he stood up and said with a slight sigh, "What if it's also because of the fact she probably didn't really see the sky at night."

"I know," Beckett said. She smiled when he looked at her in surprise and said, "I had thought of that already, it's why she loves being outside. And why she doesn't like to go to school."

"We're not always outside though," Castle pointed out to her. "But I'm guessing it's because she's with people she loves and she feels safe."

"Yes, and are you finished? I wanted to try another angle," Beckett asked.

"Where?" Castle said, stepping out of the way to let her turn it slightly to their right. "Oh, thought you were going to point it down."

"I really down want to see what they're doing again," Beckett commented, not pulling away from the telescope. "Especially if it ended up being that."

Castle had to fight his laughter at her comment, remembering how she'd been the one to see the people in the apartment directly across from his bedroom having sex against the window. "They have to know we could have seen them, and yet no blinds," he said as she was stepping back.

"At least they have curtains, though why they couldn't have had them in place before they started…" Beckett began before trailing off as he looked through the eyepiece. She noticed then that he was playfully tilting the telescope down and she said, "You keep watching them I think I'm going to have to start feeling a little jealous," smirking when he immediately stood and pulled the telescope up with him at the same time.

"I don't think you need to be," Castle said, eying her from head to toe. "You know you surprised me when you walked inside Le Circe earlier."

"Lanie was almost going to put me into the dress I wore for Valentine's Day," Beckett commented, smiling when she heard his sharp intake of air. "But I declined on that one. It's easier to get out of this dress." She wasn't at all surprised when Castle jerked slightly, the telescope pointing down again. "You know, watching you with that I might get the wrong idea," she teased him.

"It's not a metaphor, it's you driving me insane," Castle said, pointing the telescope up to the sky. "So, do you like it?"

"I do, and it's nice even here in the city. I can't wait to take it to the beach house," Beckett said.

"And show Julia, we'll do it tomorrow night after dinner if it doesn't rain like they said," Castle said.

"I hope not," Beckett said. "You know she's not the biggest fan of thunder."

"She doesn't seem to mind lightning," Castle said as she sat down while he dismantled the telescope.

"I think it's because it's light," Beckett replied with a slight shrug. "Who knows? I was the same when I was kid myself."

"Definitely her mother's daughter then," Castle said.

Beckett smiled slightly at that before he was putting the table and chairs back where they normally were. She stood by the door back into the building, holding the telescope in its case for him until he came over to her.

As they were heading back down to his floor he asked, "Nothing from Ryan?"

"Still nothing, don't ask the rest of the night," Beckett said. They left the elevator and walked down the hall to his loft and she said, "A new family moved in."

"I was going to ask you," Castle said. "And?"

"Two boys," Beckett said. "And at least ten and nine, but I should have remembered we're not going to be there much longer," she said as he unlocked the door and let her step in first. "Since we're going to be-"

"Hello Mother, I thought you had plans tonight," Castle said quickly, cutting her off before she said anything else.

"I do, I'm about to leave right now," Martha said, coming down the stairs. "I'm going to guess things went well with your little game of subterfuge at Le Circe?"

"Pretty well, we'll have to see the result of all this tomorrow," Castle replied.

"And I think it's sweet of you Richard," Martha said.

"What is?" Castle asked, looking at his fiancée who shrugged in response.

"Serenading Kate with a trumpet after dinner," Martha replied.

Watching Beckett walk over to the kitchen, her hand over her mouth to hold in her laughter, Castle shook his head and said, "It's a telescope Mother."

"Julia will love that, though I'm guessing you two tried it out first?" Martha asked.

"It's for all of us," Beckett said. "We're taking it to the Hamptons for the Fourth of July."

"She really will love it," Martha said, nodding. "Now, I must go, but you two have a wonderful rest of the night, I will likely be staying over at Nadine's, she's invited me out to a champagne breakfast at Tavern on the Green."

"I thought that was just weekends? And isn't it brunch?" Castle asked.

"They're starting this now for tourists, we're eager to try it out and see if it's worth it," Martha said. "I'll see you tomorrow, goodnight Richard, Kate."

"Night Martha, enjoy the play," Beckett called from the kitchen. When Castle had locked the door after his mother had left, she went over to him with two glasses of ice water in her hands and said, "So we have the place to ourselves don't we?"

"We do. I'm wondering by the tone of your voice what exactly that means," Castle commented. "A little afraid if it's good or bad."

"And how would it benefit me if it was bad?" Beckett asked. "I do anything to you; I'm going to have to take over on my own."

"Yeah, you told me once you could do that," Castle commented as he took their glasses to set them down on the table. "So I guess it could happen."

"Then you seem to forget I don't usually do that that often. I could, but I don't," Beckett pointed out to him, stepping back against the door as he walked up to her. She bit her lower lip as she could see his eyes were staring at her intently, and she closed her eyes as he reached up, cupping her cheeks.

"We could do this two ways," Castle whispered, his lips brushing against hers. He was a little dismayed when she didn't open her eyes to look at him, so he whispered heatedly, "Look at me love."

Her eyes flying open at that, Beckett breathed out a little roughly as she'd completely forgotten their conversation about him calling her that. Looking into his eyes she wasn't surprised to see his blue eyes darkening, and a tremble traveled over her entire body. He leaned down slightly to kiss her exposed right shoulder, and she watched him go to the end of it, flicking his tongue out against her skin. "We…" she started to say.

"One of two ways," Castle reminded her, not wanting to keep her from answering, but forgetting she needed to when he gave in to what he'd been thinking of doing all night since he'd seen her walk into Le Circe. "It's up to you."

"Us, it's us Rick," Beckett said, his lips back against hers. "I… I think I want both. I want it all," she said, ending on a moan as he leaned down suddenly to suck on the junction of her collarbone and shoulder. She stroked the back of his head and took his lips as they crushed hers in a rough, passionate kiss, nearly screaming in relief since she'd wanted him to do that for a while.

Pulling Beckett off the door a little so he could wrap his arms around her tightly, Castle plunged his tongue into her mouth, and realized very quickly how exactly she wanted things to go. Luckily it coincided with what he wanted, so he swiftly broke off the kiss before he could pull her to the bed and start without any kind of prelude. Breathing heavily, he looked into her eyes deeply and licked his lower lip before saying, "We should, slow down a little."

"Are you sure, as tense as your body is, you're going to snap at some point," Beckett said, though she was going through the same thing herself.

"Yeah, come here," Castle said, letting her go to take her by the hand. He pulled her over to his room, closing both doors. Turning to her he said, "I was really close to just throwing you on the bed."

"You could have done that," Beckett said simply though she could feel her cheeks heating up momentarily at what she was asking him to do though she wasn't asking directly.

"You…" Castle started to say, his hands freezing in mid-air. He tried to recover before saying, "Then can I?" At his fiancée's nod, he reached behind her, taking out the pins holding up the bun her hair was in, watching as it eventually fell to her shoulders. As soon as the last pin was tossed onto his dresser, he was pulling her to him, arms wrapped tightly around her before their lips met. He kept that kiss very simple, gentle, before he pulled back to descend to her shoulder and neck. He heard the soft sigh she made as he brushed his lips across her skin, shuddering a little at how soft it was.

Pulling him up to look at her, Beckett whispered, "I was serious."

Not doubting her, Castle shook his head before she stopped him and he grabbed her hands that were on his cheeks. "I push you that much," he stated.

Nodding; and relieved he hadn't asked since it meant he went through the same thing with her; Beckett leaned in closer to him and kissed him as a distraction before reaching in between them to grab at his crotch a little roughly.

Jerking against her, Castle broke off the kiss before he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her to the bed where he sat down on the edge as soon as his legs hit it. He wasn't really shocked that she immediately straddled him; but what did were her hands scrambling for the fly of his trousers. He helped her, and then lifted her skirt a little, not bothering to waste time undressing her since she wasn't. It was then he got another shock, more so than how forceful she had been up until that point. "Your… how long have you been like that?" he asked, nearly wheezing the question out.

"Through dinner," Beckett said, watching him closely since it wasn't something she'd done before. "It's an interesting feeling knowing you're completely naked under your clothes."

"Yeah, I'll bet. So… when did you do this?" Castle asked.

"I got back before you did," Beckett reminded him. At his shudder she took his rough kiss, and her skirt fell out of his hands, covering the lower half of her naked body again before their hands fumbled a little together to get him inside of her. As soon as he was set, she wrapped her arms around him tightly, kissing him deeply before she began to move. It was then she remembered something, and she turned her head to the side to speak as he kissed wildly at her cheek. "My shoes…"

"They're fine," Castle said before leading her back to his lips. As they were busy dueling a little inside first her mouth and then his with their tongues, he moved his hands to her back, pulling down the zipper. His fingers slipped underneath the shoulders of her dress, and he trailed them down her skin, feeling her jerk slightly against him in response. "Kate…" he whispered as she had pulled away enough to stop him from going back up and getting the top of her dress off her, his voice full of annoyance.

Stopping quickly, Beckett leaned over and cupped his face in her hands before she brushed her lips against his. "You know you've given me control," she said simply, feeling his hands clutching at the small of her back.

"I just want…" Castle started to say before he trailed off. "Right, control. Just let me…" he began before he slipped his hands under her dress to touch her bare back. Grunting slightly when she suddenly began to move again, he held her tightly as she kissed him at the same time, and was soon fighting with her tongue in between their lips. But he finally pushed her tongue slowly back into her mouth, his fingertips digging into her skin. He wasn't sure how long they were like that, kissing hard before parting for the quickest gasp of air they could manage and crushing their mouths together again, but finally he snapped.

Though she hadn't really wanted it to happen like that, Beckett complied as Castle's hands were jerking her dress down her shoulders. She was able to get back into control though, by reaching up with her arms and trapping her bodice where it was. She watched him as he parted from her to see what she was doing, and she felt a slight tremor rush through her, her heart racing at the intense look in his eyes. She had slowed down her thrusts on him as they were staring at each other, and she suddenly tilted her hips more towards him, making her clit brush against his skin as she rocked down on him.

Hearing her gasp at that, Castle reached up and tried to get the rest of the dress off her, but had no luck, her grip was tight. "Please," he begged, not caring that he was. "Let me see you Kate, I need to see you."

A little shocked at the tone of his voice; since he sounded desperate; Becket used the fingertips of her right hand and brushed against the bottom of his chin to bring him up to her. She kissed him, slowly, sensuously to get his mind off the matter of her dress. She wasn't surprised when he quickly took to the kiss, wrapping his arms around her, his hands sliding under her dress again. She shivered briefly at the feeling of his warm palms sliding over her skin loudly in the room, and moved a little faster, feeling him starting to do the same. When they pulled apart after the second kiss, she could see looking into his eyes that he'd calmed down some, so she lowered her arms.

Breathing in, Castle was almost about to ask if she was serious, when he decided not to push it. Hurriedly but as gently as he could, he pulled the top of the dress the rest of the way down, staring at her as her breasts were soon exposed. The bodice down around her waist, he threw his arms around her tightly, pulling her flush against his chest as they both started to groan at the sensation. A brief moment later, he could feel her moving faster against him, and they breathed out harder as he was quick to follow suit. He went to her neck, kissing it and nipping at it gently before he moved down to her shoulder, but as he was getting closer to the end of it he couldn't take it anymore, and he moved.

Sliding her fingers through his hair, Beckett looked on as Castle's mouth gently proceeded to suckle at her right breast, feeling his hand coming up to cup the other. She stroked his hair, biting at her lower lip as she found she wasn't going to stop moaning any other way. She wasn't really sure how he was able to stay where he was since she was moving pretty quickly on him, but a second after that thought went through her mind, she moved too hard and moved him as well. "Sorry," she breathed out, though had to wonder if she was apologizing to him or herself for that.

"No, just… let me," Castle said, trying to recover. He reached for the skirt of her dress, and pulling it up felt her pushing on his jacket. He was a little startled, forgetting that he'd still had that on. He paused to help her get it off him, and then grabbed hold of her hips as she began to unbutton his shirt. Guiding her movements then, he wasn't surprised when she was able to quickly pick up what he wanted her to try and do and he then pulled the skirt behind her as far as it would go, so he could see their bodies pressing together. Shuddering at the sight of her against him, he couldn't help but reach down and press his hand against the mound in between her legs, not caring it was getting crushed between them.

After letting him do that for a few more seconds, Beckett took his hand, making it cup her left breast. She looked on as she bit at her lower lip while his head bowed, pressing his lips around her nipple and then flicking his tongue out to it. "Wait," she breathed as he pulled away. When he looked up at her knowingly, she was relieved to not see an expression on his face that would have accompanied a smart ass remark, instead understanding. And if she wasn't mistaking in the little time she'd had to look into his eyes, she could have sworn he was grateful at her unasked question. But she was soon distracted by his lips and tongue again, and she closed her eyes as tightly as she could, trying to concentrate on everything at once. She was trying to move so he would be able to continue, but with her hips moving the way they were and her legs spread as wide as they were around him, she could feel him deep inside of her, making her clutch at the back of his shirt a little desperately as her nails dug into his back through it trying desperately to keep from going crazy. When he finally took her breast with his mouth, she nearly felt like yelling in the relief that brought, as he'd been teasing both breasts. But the feeling of them moving together overrode that, and she just tried to keep tight control on herself for a little longer.

Once he'd drifted over to her right breast, Castle spent a little time there before pulling back. He paused to brush his lips over her scar and then moved up to her lips, kissing her deeply and was relieved when she responded quickly in turn. When they parted to breathe, he went to her ear, nipping slightly at the lobe before he slid down the side of her neck, nibbling here and there until he was at her pulse. He pressed swift, short kisses; more like pecks of his lips; to the racing rhythm beating underneath the silky skin. He felt her grasping at him tightly, and he felt like telling her he was unlikely going to get tired of her, every bit of her was a rhythm, her pulse, the cadence of her voice, when she walked, her laugh. It all culminated at various times into a different song that fed him, fed his soul; though he knew he probably wouldn't be able to explain that to her and how exactly that worked. And there was one last rhythm she had, he was always going to crave, and desire as he was at that exact moment as her pulse where they were joined together was different from everything else, reaching in between them again, but that time going directly to her clit.

Breathing hard as she felt the way Castle's fingers were working around her, Beckett tried to look down at them, to see, but was unable to with her dress still stuck at her waist. She suddenly stopped, making her fiancé stop abruptly as well, and started tugging at the black fabric, pulling him up. "Help me," she said a little hoarsely to Castle as he watched her in slight shock.

Shaking himself, he quickly did as she asked, but he leaned back a little to watch her dress catch her breasts. Swallowing the sudden rush of his mouth watering at the sight, Castle reached up and cupped her mounds before Beckett tossed the dress to the floor. When she started to move again, he followed her as fast as he could, and they were soon moving together roughly, their hips slamming together. "Here," he said, wrapping his arm around her for support then.

Once she was leaning back against him, Beckett watched as Castle's hand reached in between them again, and began to almost play with her clit. By then she was beyond aroused, and his fingertips slipped over her skin, making her gasp as she could see his hand moving before he suddenly pulled it back. A sound of protest left her mouth, but it soon stopped, as he was suddenly stroking her swollen nub with one finger. She could just barely see it, and the resulting rush of fire that coursed through her left her little time, but she just managed to throw off his hand and sit up, clutching at him tightly before she broke, her back going rigid in the instant before her orgasm shot through her body.

Holding onto Beckett as hard as he could, Castle was joining her, unable to really resist the sensation of her body trying to bring him with her. He yelled her name once, shortly, as she'd yelled his a moment before, and held the small of her back to try and keep her moving. But finally they had to stop, their bodies spent and trembling a little, still at the edge of the bed. "So…" he started to say.

"I know, we… we were just together last night," Beckett said, saying that to see what he would say.

"Then don't go around naked under your dress," Castle said teasingly before she stood up in front of him. "But… you wouldn't do that out in public would you?"

"I've only ever done it when I knew it was just us," Beckett said with a smile, wondering if he remembered the last time she'd been naked under something, it'd been her first time at the beach house.

"Eventually we'll go skinny dipping," Castle commented as she helped him with his shirt. He toed off his shoes before glancing at hers, and then used the excuse of putting the dark blue shirt on his dresser to watch her as she picked up her dress and tossed it over at the armchair next to her side of the bed. "Nice," he commented, discarding the rest of his clothes swiftly as she was turned away from him still, running her fingers through her hair and making him shudder at the sight.

As she was putting her left knee onto the end of the bed, Beckett felt her fiancé's fingers sliding around her waist and she turned to him, surprised when he whispered huskily into her ear, "Put down your leg," which she quickly did. She bit her lower lip as he kissed at her neck and shoulders again, brushing her hair over to her left shoulder to get it out of the way. He stepped up a little closer to her, and she exhaled deeply as she could feel something while he'd been watching her had gotten his interest. She was distracted from her thoughts suddenly when he started to bend his knees, and took her with him. She was going to try and get them up to get on the bed, or at the very least get her heels off; which were still on; but he stopped her, taking her hand in his and pulling it back.

Castle let out a huff of air against her shoulder as they touched his erection, and he was quick to focus before he forgot why he had them on their knees against the end of the bed. With a little of her help; both manually and her leaning against the bed slightly; he was soon sliding into her, breathing out in pleasure as he could tell she hadn't really been immune to what he'd done to get them where they were. Her little cry shook him, but he recovered from the sudden, sharp blast of pleasure, and he began to thrust against her before he leaned against her shoulder, whispering into her ear, "You need to tell me if you want me to."

Biting her lip, Beckett chose not to reply to that right away, waiting. She took a sharp breath of air when she felt her fiancé's lips along the back of her shoulder, and when his tongue flicked out here and there on her; she turned her head to him. They were able to share a deep kiss, and when they'd finally pulled apart she murmured, "I want you to fuck me Rick."

That was all he needed, and Castle began to move, ignoring the sharp, sudden pang in his knee. He kissed at her wildly; whatever he could reach; to try and distract himself from the pain. Luckily she was reaching back to him, pressing her hand to his cheek and he took her lips as he reached up in between them, gently grasping at her breast while his other hand was pressed firmly against her abdomen. They eventually had to part to breathe, but that just gave him the chance to get an idea. He pushed her until the front of her body was against the bed, and he reached down in front of her with one hand, relieved he could still get to it.

Tensing momentarily as Castle's fingers were rubbing around her clit, Beckett moaned as he sent a heavy spark through her with each pass. She moved back against him a little harder, suddenly noticing the loud smack the sound of their hips meeting together made. They looked at each other then, and she was almost breathless with the expression on his face; his normally blue eyes darkened so deeply by desire she knew he could easily hurt her if he wanted to. But she hoped he realized that that was why she was with him; he could choose to but he didn't. He could hit her, slap her, but instead ran his hand from her thigh to her sex, fingers blazing trails that made her literally burn. He could bite her, but he only nipped at her skin, swift enough to send the same sharp pleasure that his touch did through her, but never enough to hurt. He was moving in her roughly and hard but always with her direct demand. It was why she was with him, why she was moving with him, taking what he was giving her and making sure she reciprocated; only hoping they were as even as they could be with that.

Moving his hand up to the bed, Castle took hers, and spread their arms wide, making her grasp the very edge of the bed. He moved a little harder then, as he gained some extra leverage with that, hissing under his breath at her moans every time he literally rammed inside of her. He bent his head to her neck, kissing at it a few times before he slid his lips over her shoulder. He was breathing roughly, watching her closely as he bit at the end of her shoulder. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to let her know what he was doing. Her slight jerk at that sent off a responding grunt as it was so abrupt, but he didn't stop, instead moving up slightly to move her hair out of the way and crush her lips with his as soon as she'd turned her head.

Wanting to reach back to touch him as their tongues met slightly, Beckett found he was holding her in place. She had no problem with it, as he was squeezing her hands in time with his pace he'd set. She wasn't sure if it was a little weird that she was finding the motion erotic, but decided not to question it when he pulled away, surprised when he slowed down slightly. "Castle," she breathed.

"Yes?" he asked, his own breath speaking.

"Hold me," was all that Beckett said. She wasn't too sure if he was going to understand what she meant by that, but he let go of her hands, and his arms were wrapping around her completely. She moaned again, that time in response to them crushed together making it hard for them both to move all that much, but neither of them really attempting to stop. She bit her lower lip as he had crossed his arms over her, clutching at her hips, and she felt his hands stroking her skin carefully, in sharp contrast to his movements inside her. It was then he drifted up to her ear, and began to whisper to her, making her go rigid for a moment before looking back at him. "You can't see me," she warned him though she was already starting to comply.

"I can," Castle shot back. "Though it's… up to you… to you if you do it love."

Gritting her teeth at his use of his endearment for her, knowing it was meant to "help" her in her decision. But since she'd already decided when he'd asked, she merely reached up, cupping her breasts. "Like that?" she asked.

Castle didn't reply, instead burying his lips into her shoulder before he raised his head enough to whisper, "Now just caress them."

Swallowing hard, as she knew what that was going to do to her; and what she knew he'd planned for; Beckett did as he asked, caressing her mounds, biting the side of her mouth a little hard in response to what was going through her. She was still moving with him, still meeting each thrust he made. She was feeling a great deal of pleasure and with the extra stimulation that added, she had to stop. "It's not enough," she said simply in explanation, taking his hands off her waist and replacing hers with his. She shook her hair back over her left shoulder, watching as his fingers seemed to sink into her skin as they passed over her breasts. "Rick…" she moaned.

"Damn it Kate," Castle groaned, a little shocked at her tone of voice saying his name. He kissed her neck before she turned her head to him, and as they kissed ardently, he picked up the pace a little, feeling her responding in turn easily. He moved from her chest to between her legs, and stroked at her clit in an unhurried rhythm, wanting to push her over the edge.

It took little time for him to be able to do that, and Beckett was soon arching her back roughly before she froze for a quick second. She thought she cried out his name, but it disappeared with the roaring in her ears, trying to control the pleasure she was experiencing. But that was a little useless, and she had no idea why she'd wanted to once her fiancé joined her, Castle yelling her name into the back of her head his face was pressed up against. She wasn't sure how long it took to stop, but once they had, she was slumped against the bed, her cheek pressed to the crisp, cool cover. "Is your knee hurting?" she asked when she felt a little recovered.

"Slightly," Castle finally admitted, the adrenaline rush of their orgasms dissipating and reminding him he wasn't quite able bodied to spend that much time; doing that much; with his knee to the floor, even with the rug underneath them. He wasn't surprised when Beckett made him get up, and he moved away from her carefully with a sigh of disappointment, before he helped her up onto the bed. Grabbing her feet, he pulled the buckles apart and each time a black heel was off, he pressed a few very short kisses along her skin. With her finally completely naked; except for her aquamarine jewelry and ring; he moved to lie on top of her as she'd propped herself up with pillows. "I know we need to get up early for the case. But what about just for one night?" he asked after they'd pulled apart.

Shaking her head, Beckett couldn't help but smile at the instant disappointment that appeared on her fiancé's face, and she told him, "Not just one night, that's not going to be enough."

"Then what will be?" Castle asked, kissing her quickly. He took her left hand as he spoke, entwining their fingers together and making the three diamonds compete in their brilliance before she lowered it and he looked to her for her answer.

"Always," Beckett said simply, not caring if that was cheesy as hell, it was what she was feeling in that moment. She didn't feel like she could get enough, with him it seemed like each time he was a different lover, something she had to learn; a challenge. And since she loved challenges, she was eager to see how many times he could make her work to know him so intimately in so many singular ways. She took his kiss at her reply, and slid her fingers through his hair, feeling him shuddering. At the same time, she felt something against her body, and pulled back abruptly. Breathing out heavily, she saw the opportunity to yet again try and see who he was going to be that time, and she felt her excitement coming to the forefront, as it hadn't yet faded completely. "Please," she begged him, their lips brushing together with that single word.

Castle didn't respond immediately and instead moved to her ear, whispering his request to her, watching her carefully to see her response. "If you don't want to-" he began, a little startled at her obvious surprise.

"No, I do, but what do you get out of it?" Beckett asked. "Doing it like that?"

"I'm wondering if I might… join you right before I manage to get you off," Castle said, pausing for a moment to think about how to not word that a little too crassly. He was startled when Beckett suddenly moved, and he looked back down at her, watching as she got onto her stomach. "So you're okay with that last request?" he asked.

"Putting myself in this position I'm pretty sure that's a yes," Beckett commented wryly as she let him tuck a couple pillows under her hips. "You haven't had too much luck though. It's not easy to find," she said to remind him he'd had some trouble before.

"You're lucky I'm patient, but this takes a lot of trust on your end," Castle said, moving so he could kiss her.

"And I know what you do when you manage to accomplish it, just… be careful," Beckett replied, smiling slightly up at him.

"I forgot… do you not want me to-" Castle said, suddenly remembering the four seasons case.

"I know you'll be careful," Beckett said simply. She sucked in a deep breath of air at his first touch, her folds swollen with all they'd done that night, and she looked back at him saying, "I'll still get off even without you finding it."

"I still want to," was all Castle said in reply. He moved to kiss her again, but kept that going as he slowly, gently slid his fingers inside of her once he was sure she was excited as she could be. Shuddering at the throb of her pulse against him, he began to slowly move back and forth at first, pulling back to both breathe and watch her closely to see her reaction to that, his own body reminding him quickly he wasn't immune to what he was doing and trying to accomplish.

Pressing her cheek harder into the pillow under her head, Beckett looked back over her shoulder at Castle, watching the look of concentration on his face. She could feel his searching fingers that hooked downward, and all of a sudden there was the sudden noise that sounded like a cross between a cry and a squeak of surprise.

Looking at his fiancée, Castle had to fight the smirk that was threatening to appear on his face and moved his fingers again, not surprised that that time a moan came out of her mouth. "So, I'm guessing it's enjoyable?" he asked, knowing he'd finally found what he'd been unable to manually before then.

"Yes!" Beckett said in half exasperation, half pleasure. She bit her lower lip, wondering how the hell she'd made that noise the first time he'd touched her g-spot, but was distracted as the rhythm of his fingers was speeding up. "Wait, stop," she said quickly. "Just…" she said, touching his arm. She was relieved when her fiancé quickly complied, and moved to straddle her body with his own. She nearly bit into her lip as he slid inside of her and wasn't surprised when he reached under her to press her mound with the palm of his hand, raising it up a little more. She nearly screamed his first few thrusts, but managed to hold them in. But as he continued, she knew she wasn't going to be able to last.

Sensing that, and guessing by the way she was thrusting back against him a little haphazardly, Castle slowed down until he stopped. "I'm still reaching it?" he asked, kissing the back of her right shoulder.

"Yeah," Beckett said, sounding breathless. "I don't know if you want to keep doing that, this will be over quick if you do."

"I know, and I want to point out to you that sound you made was the most erotic thing I've ever heard," Castle said. He kissed her shoulder again at her groan at that, and he moved carefully, slowly, one time. Her body's reaction was instant, and rough around him, and he exhaled against her skin hard.

"I think," Beckett began before biting at her lip a little hard. "I think you should start again."

"Me too," Castle said. But before he could do that, he took the chance he had, kissing her deeply though it wasn't exactly easy. He kept that up as long as he could, before pulling back finally, and starting to move, grunting a little as she reacted again; physically and verbally.

Clutching at the bed under her, Beckett kept her gaze behind her, watching her fiancé as he thrust against her, taking his time to get back to the speed he'd been at before stopping. But she soon had to close her eyes, and tightly, as he was making her feel wave after wave of pleasure; pure fire that made the sheets touching her skin almost too hot for her to be able to stand. Shifting her head on the pillow, she only felt a momentary cool pressure before it was scorching like her skin was. Before she could try and move again, she felt Castle suddenly shifting, pulling back so far she almost thought he was going to leave her. But instead he pulled up on her mound with his hand, and with his next thrust; more of a ramming motion; she was climaxing, and so roughly because of where he managed to hit reentering her, that she passed before she could comprehend she was doing.

There was no brief moment to enjoy his fiancée's orgasm, only the sudden explosion of pleasure that ran through his body as he followed her merely seconds later. He groaned her name once, and it was then he realized that she hadn't replied. Glancing down at her, he was a little shocked to see she seemed to have blacked out, and he became worried before she was suddenly gasping for air, calling his name as her eyes blinked furiously. He didn't stop though, thrusting rougher and faster, suddenly wanting to see her lose control that much again.

Though she felt a little drained with the force of her ecstasy, Beckett kept moving with him, feeling Castle's hand next to hers on the bed grabbing it tightly. She squeezed it back an instant before he pushed her the final bit over the edge she needed, and she cried out, "Oh god, I love you, Rick!"

"Love…" Castle groaned as he was with her again, very shortly after she'd begun. "I adore you," he groaned heavily, knowing he couldn't quite say he loved her along with his endearment for her. But he liked the sound of that better, and he watched her closely, seeing she hadn't really passed out, but she seemed to be struggling to keep herself from losing consciousness. He had no concept of time, no idea how long it took him before they were stopping, and he was careful helping her sit up before he was gathering her in his arms, kissing her as deeply as he could. "I love you," he said when they needed to breathe and had parted.

"I got that when you said you adored me," Beckett replied with a smile. "But thank you." She kissed him, feeling him holding her closer in response before she slipped her tongue into his mouth. When they needed to breathe she pressed her cheek to his before saying, "You've never done that to another woman."

"It never came to mind that I could," Castle said honestly. When she pulled back to look at him he quickly said, "I told you how I read into a woman's… well, that book about women's health back when I was fifteen."

"There's a part of me that's surprised you looked into it seriously and didn't just keep that book to look at the drawing of breasts," Beckett said wryly before she let go of him to lie down.

"I looked at it before," Castle said. "But I had this thought that even learning sex-ed back in sixth grade; I still wasn't sure what was going on for a woman." He shrugged and then said, "So to make it less of a mystery I did as much research that I could but that book and a couple of the others I read didn't really mention much about the g-spot. But by then I was already dating and forgot about it."

"What exactly made you decide to see if you could find mine?" Beckett asked. She had to smile as Castle looked up at the ceiling and she slapped his arm saying, "Porn?"

"No, not that," he said quickly. "I was looking at this modern version of the _Kama Sutra_ …"

When he trailed off and looked at her Beckett said, "I'm still not sure about the more difficult positions."

"Neither am I, but you know, if we got one we could try some more out than the basics we've done already," Castle said. "But going back to what you asked, it mentioned one position that was really great, and that it was really beneficial for the woman in the preface."

"Is it how I just was laying?" Beckett asked. When Castle nodded she said, "Alright, then we'll have to find a copy of it, but I don't really want modern pictures, and we'd need to find a really good place to hide it."

"I'll see what I can find," Castle said. "But that page I saw was right, you fainted didn't you?" He wasn't too surprised when her cheeks flushed slightly before saying, "Have you ever experienced that before? _La petite mort_?"

"No," Beckett said simply. "I'm not kidding," she said when he looked at her. "Remember you asking if I'd had selfish lovers, unfortunately they tended to be in the majority. And I never really dated a guy that was as perverted as you." She was a little startled when he suddenly kissed her in response to that, and she wrapped her arms around him before he pulled back, making her make a slight sound in protest.

"You're going to marry me, not date me," Castle said seriously, looking into her eyes. When she nodded he brushed his lips across hers and murmured against her, "And if I wasn't as perverted as I am, you would not be having the best sex of your life- ow!" he hissed when she pinched him. "Come on, tell me I'm wrong."

"So long as you say the same," Beckett told him, rubbing his side she'd pinched.

"Oh, you should get the idea I'm having by far the best sex I've ever had," Castle said, going down to kiss around the hollow of her throat where her pendant was resting. "One of these times I'm going to pass out too, just need to make you work me up to it."

"Not now though," Beckett said, running her fingers through his hair on the back of his head. "It's pretty late, and do you really think you could?"

"Yeah," Castle said, having raised himself above her slightly. He glanced down her body and said, "Don't ask," when he looked up at her and saw the slightly questioning expression on her face. "I've asked my doctor, he's got no idea either, so I don't question it, I just enjoy it while I can."

Nodding, as she had wondered for a while at the fact his stamina was pretty healthy still, Beckett also questioned herself as to how she was the same, but it wasn't something she was overly concerned about. She sighed as he kissed her neck a few times saying, "Felt nice." When he looked at her she looked at him, smiling, as she said, "To forget the case for a while."

"I agree," Castle said, finally forcing himself to look at the clock on her nightstand. "But you're right, we should get some sleep," he said with a sigh as he saw the time. He leaned down then and kissed her deeply, not surprised when she immediately responded to him, and it soon slipped into a second, third and finally fourth passionate kiss before they seemed to force themselves apart for some much needed air.

"I love you Castle," Beckett said once they were settled, her cheek on his shoulder. She couldn't help smiling as she heard his, "I love you too Kate," as she could hear his half frustrated, half drained tone, and she pressed closer to his side. She wanted to thank him for focusing so intently on her the last time they'd made love, but felt he knew already. She kissed his collarbone and then relaxed; closing her eyes before she was surrendering to the pleasant exhaustion her satiety was bringing her to.

Running his hand lazily up and down her back, Castle closed his eyes. He was exhausted, but pleased with how the night had gone for them. He stilled his hand on the small of her back as the fatigue of their three times together began to take over faster than he'd expected, and holding Beckett tightly to him, he joined her in much needed rest.


	12. Upon His Head

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics in this chapter are again from Maxwell's Silver Hammer by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from their album Abbey Road.

Shifting back slightly, Beckett's eyes opened when she felt the lack of warmth behind her, and could smell coffee. Raising her head and turning it to look over her shoulder, she saw her fiancé was walking into the room with two mugs of coffee. "You're up early," she commented, sitting up and holding the bed sheet against her breasts.

"Not for that long," Castle said simply, setting the still hot drinks on his nightstand. He sat on the side of the bed and kissed her gently before they deepened the kiss carefully at the same time.

Once that had parted, Beckett sighed a little and said, "Is your mom back?"

"No, so she did stay over," Castle said, not surprised when she kissed him again. When they parted he was surprised when she moved away from him and then got off the bed. He stood and leaned against the wall next to his nightstand to give her a little privacy, knowing she likely wouldn't really want to fool around that morning. He looked out the window then, and jerked slightly when he felt her arms wrapping around him from behind to hug him briefly. He looked back and watched as she came around to him saying, "And again you're naked underneath your clothes."

Frowning slightly at that, Beckett said, "We don't really have much time, and I don't want to rush through it," watching him look over her body which was obviously defined underneath the deep blue nightgown she'd slipped on since it was easier to wear though it clung to her.

"I don't either," Castle said simply. "But if things developed tonight…"

"Depends," Beckett said, shaking her head. "Mainly on you and that word develop. We'll need to see of course."

"Of course," Castle commented, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close before they kissed deeply. When they slowly parted he pressed his cheek to the top of her head to resist the easy temptation of the warmth of her body through the blue fabric, and it was then he caught sight of something moving.

"What is it?" Beckett asked, since his head had lifted up off her. She turned around and looked to the building across the street, seeing the couple they'd caught having sex before. "Again?" she sighed, about to leave when what she saw next made her sigh catch in her throat and freeze in place.

In the window in the neighboring building, the woman was finishing opening the curtains, the full swell of her abdomen obvious in her robe. The man came up behind her then, and slipped his hands underneath the deep red fabric before they began to kiss.

Turning to the bed, Beckett walked around Castle, trying to understand the sudden emotions that had raced through her at the sight of the expecting couple. She went around to her side of the bed, picking up her dress from the night before, unable to meet the eyes of her fiancé, almost afraid of what she would see in the blue depths if she chanced even the quickest look in his direction.

Castle had less of a struggle than Beckett, as he was already aware of what he'd felt watching the two across the street. But there was some fear in him as well, since he wasn't sure what she would say if he told her the sudden jealousy that had made his heart constrict in its intensity seeing how happy the couple obviously were, how in love they obviously were, and what that love between them had created. Didn't know if she would treat that news with joy; wanting the same; or trepidation. He finally gathered his courage and taking a deep breath, opened his mouth to speak to her, to tell her something he'd toyed with in his mind on and off until it had become a desire he was too scared to speak lest she destroy that chance he'd spoken of to her once, long ago when they were still relatively new with one another.

Glancing up at Castle, Beckett could see he was about to speak when her phone suddenly let off a short ring, to let her know she'd gotten a text message. "It's probably Lanie," she said slowly, trying to give him a chance to speak. But when he just nodded and grabbed the mugs of coffee off his nightstand, she looked down at her phone and read the message.

"Is it her?" Castle asked, sitting on the end of the bed next to her as he handed her her mug.

"It is," Beckett said before reading the message. " _Looked up the meaning of that second song, and I owe you an apology. Just thought you would be happy, please don't be angry at me. Call me when you can after work_."

"Second song?" Castle asked in confusion after sipping at his coffee.

"When she came into my apartment, I was playing _The Art of Dying_ ," Beckett said, smiling when he did; since it was one of his favorite songs after they'd listened to it together to vet it for their daughter. She took his hand after setting aside her phone, and squeezing it said, "And she got a little worried, asking me if I was considering committing suicide."

"To what, avoid the date?" Castle asked.

"I think the lyrics were a shock," Beckett said with a sigh. "But then I switched to _Wah-Wah_ …"

"Oh," Castle said in understanding. "Wow, you're lucky she wasn't aware of the meaning of the song beforehand. Well, maybe that will have gotten the point across a lot better and she'll stop for now."

"We'll see," Beckett said, setting aside her mug after a few sips. She let Castle pull her onto his lap then, wrapping her arms around him almost as if they'd discussed him doing that. She took his kiss, and was quick to respond as he coaxed her tongue through his lips. They were embroiled in that for a little longer before parting to breathe quickly. She was leaning into him to kiss him again, feeling his hands clutching desperately at the small of her back, when her phone began to ring next to them. Pulling away with a groan, she looked down at the phone with him saying, "If that's Lanie…" before trailing off when she saw it was Celia's mother.

"She's nervous," Castle and Beckett said at the same time. Smiling as she looked at him questioningly, he helped her to the top of the bed where he sat next to her, leaning against the headboard as she answered the phone.

"Hey Anita, everything okay?" Beckett asked, the phone on speaker.

"Oh just fine, but our daughters are in a state of agitation about reciting the alphabet," the woman said. "I think Julia could benefit if she spoke with her mom."

"I think so too, let me talk to her," Beckett replied. She turned on the screen and wasn't surprised when Julia appeared; looking worried as she bit at her lower lip. "Morning sweetie," she said, checking the time to make sure it wasn't way too early for the little girl to be up.

"Morning Mommy, Castle," Julia replied, waving a little. "I'm scared to talk today."

"Well, you shouldn't really worry that much," Castle said. "I know you'll remember the alphabet, you know it pretty well already."

"But what if I don't speak I'm so scared?" Julia asked.

"Then ask Mrs. Clayton if it's okay to close your eyes to help you remember," Beckett suggested.

"Oh, think she will?" Julia asked, looking pleased at the idea.

"I think so," Castle said. "And you'll do fine sweetheart, we know you will."

"I'll try," Julia said, sighing. "Do you know what my surprise will be Mommy?" she then asked, looking at her mother on the screen.

"Not yet, I'll see once we get to work. For now though, you better get going and eat breakfast," Beckett said. "And we'll see you later. Have fun at school."

"Yeah, we'll want to see your graduation gown if they give it to you today," Castle said.

Smiling, Julia nodded and then said, "I'll show. And I gotta go tell Celia we have to ask Mrs. Clayton that. Bye!"

Beckett and Castle barely had the chance to tell Julia goodbye before the screen went dark, and she turned off her phone before turning to look at her fiancé. She was going to speak when she saw the look in his eyes and she bit her lower lip a little hard, trying to figure out why her heart had begun to suddenly beat furiously.

Looking into her eyes, Castle took a deep breath, and leaned down, closing the gap between them before he kissed her. As opposed to before when he'd been sitting on the edge of the bed, that one was gentler, and he was soon pulling back to kiss the side of her neck. "Kate, we-" he started to say; unaware that his fiancée had closed her eyes tightly as he'd begun to speak; bracing herself. But before he could get more than two words said, Beckett's phone made its text notification ring again, and he jerked back at the shock of it. "Lanie?" he asked, pushing away his anger at the interruption. As she was reading the message he took the interruption as a sign, and tried to forget what he'd been about to say.

"No," Beckett said, glancing up at him briefly and seeing he seemed not to care he'd been interrupted. "It's from Ryan; he went over the case as much as he could, but nothing. And there haven't been any new vics."

"So I'm wondering if he's gone," Castle said. "No sign of Mayes anywhere?"

"Not that he can find, of course, Mayes could have left the city," Beckett said. "If he was here. As for Wilder, no, no sign," she said as Ryan sent her a second text.

"So where do we go from here?" Castle asked, looking at her.

Leaning over to kiss him, Beckett let that linger for as long as she possibly could before she leaned back and nuzzled his nose with hers before he kissed her briefly. "Now we need to head into work, and see what we can do with what we have," she said. "And I'll probably have to make some phone calls."

Nodding, Castle watched as she got off the bed and disappeared into the bathroom. When the door was closed, he slumped against the headboard; only for a brief moment before he got up, sliding across the bed to his closet, resisting the urge to look to his left as he focused his mind back on their case, suddenly eager to be done with it though he could use the distraction of the investigation.

* * *

"Morning Espo, Ryan," Beckett said, walking to her desk. She nearly smiled when she saw Esposito was glancing at her out of the corner of his eye warily, Ryan glancing at his partner. "I hope you and Lanie had a great night at Le Circe, but also you got some rest because we need to try and find Mayes and Wilder before they disappear from the city; if they haven't already."

"Yeah, they might be waiting for the heat to die down before they try that," Esposito said, walking up to her with a file in his hand. "Look, Beckett, Lanie and-"

Holding up her hand, Beckett took the file saying, "I texted her earlier before I left my place. I'm a little angry she did that, but I have to laugh at the fact you two thought you could hide at Le Circe when there's nothing to hide behind besides the menus."

"And you didn't even use those," a voice said behind the two. Castle glanced at his fiancée before saying, "Plus, Lanie's forgetting since we work together we couldn't really date if we'd wanted to."

"I tried to remind her, but she pointed out that you're not a cop and not officially with the NYPD bro," Esposito said as Beckett was looking at the file. "So that got to us last night, Ryan got them."

"What's he doing?" Beckett asked. "City Hall?"

"Yeah, they should have their site up in about ten minutes," Ryan called from his desk, having heard them. "Until then, there's the police report of the Mayes family murder."

"Mind if I read over your shoulder?" Castle asked Beckett.

"If you promise not to breathe in my ear," she replied. She wasn't surprised when he quickly stood behind her, looking down at the report. "The autopsy report got to Lanie?" she asked Esposito, seeing that it wasn't with the file.

"Yeah, for some reason they split it up," Ryan answered for him as he walked up to them. "I have the number of the sheriff that investigated the case, if you need to contact him."

"So they were found here in the family room," Beckett said absently, looking at the pictures of the crime scene.

"A lot of blood," Castle commented. "I really wonder what Lanie's going to-"

"Looks like you'll find out," Beckett said when the phone on her desk began to ring. She handed the file to Castle and answered saying, "Lanie, hold on, we all need to hear this."

"Wait, I wanted-" the doctor started to say.

"Later, I promise," Beckett said, knowing she wanted to apologize again. "They said you got the autopsy report on the Mayes family. Let us know what you were able to find."

"They were killed by your killer," Lanie said simply.

"What, no grand explanation of the wounds? Just jumped right in with it?" Castle said.

"Beckett sounds like she's in a hurry," Lanie said. "But yes, they were struck with the silver hammer. And hard too."

"Anything else besides that?" Beckett asked.

"Chloroform, in their lungs," Lanie said.

"So he knocked them out, and he and Wilder dragged them here to the middle of the family room and killed them," Castle said, holding up the picture of the whole room with the bodies of the four family members in the center of pools of blood.

"Okay, Lanie, anything else because I need to talk to Sheriff… Harrison," Beckett said, looking at her fiancé who shrugged in response.

"Nothing else, no signs of struggle, so it's was pretty simple. They were knocked out, laid on their abdomens and struck from behind repeatedly," the doctor said.

"Thank you," Beckett said. She quickly said goodbye to her friend; promising to talk to her later; and she sat down to talk with the sheriff. "This is Detective Beckett with the NYPD… yes, Sheriff Harrison is expecting me? Great, I'll hold." Covering the mouthpiece of her phone, she said to Ryan, "Look into the sheriff, and then I'd like you Espo," she told him, turning to him. "To look into the Mayes family, the four that were killed."

Watching the boys head back to their desks, Castle turned to Beckett as she began to talk to the man on the other end. Since he still had the file in his hand, he flipped through the rest of the crime scene pictures, and then noticed something strange. He opened his mouth to speak, but saw his fiancée was looking at her computer screen, so he held back, deciding what he had to say could wait.

"Yes, well, it was a terrible tragedy for the doc," Sheriff Harrison was saying to Beckett.

"How so?" she asked, the man having just told her about the crime scene and the subsequent investigation.

"Well, horrible he was killed of course, but he'd had nothing but tragedy since his son and son's girlfriend died," the sheriff replied. "And he was lucky he didn't need to do the autopsy on both."

"Auto- he was the ME," Beckett stated. When sheriff replied in the affirmative, she said, "I'm wondering Sheriff, what happened to the girlfriend's body, we were told it was sent to her family-"

"Yup, that'd be the Mayes, she and Al were living there at the time," Harrison replied.

"And no one stood out in the death of the family?" Beckett asked to make sure, looking at Castle, who looked to be growing impatient. "Okay, thank you for speaking to me Sheriff Harrison, I appreciate your help." She literally slammed the phone down and as soon as she did, she and her fiancé said at the same time, "She faked her death." She looked a little confused and in realization said, "How did you… you saw the urns."

"You mean one urn and a lack of a second one," Castle said, putting the picture he'd taken from the pile in front of her on the desk. "Noticed this, and if you magnify it, you can see the letters A, Q, M. I'm assuming his middle name started with a q?"

"Quinn," Beckett replied, holding his phone which he had on the magnification app. "So they didn't take his ashes to the Gulf. Alright, Ryan, Espo-" she started to say.

"Family's clear," Esposito said.

"So is Sheriff Harrison," Ryan said quickly.

"Then I want us to put everything into Wilder, but start searching with that last name in Arkansas," Beckett told them. "I'll look here into any records of anything at City Hall or a record under that name. We'll use Pierce if we have to."

Watching as she searched the name Rosalyn Pierce first, Castle wasn't too surprised when nothing came up, knowing she'd guessed that would happen and had just wanted to make sure. But when she substituted Wilder as the last name he said, "Look, a wedding… she was married."

"To…" Beckett started to say.

* * *

"Detective Beckett," LT called suddenly. "Dispatch just got a call from the building where your second to last victim lived."

"Did they say where and what number," Beckett asked as she stood; Castle, Ryan and Esposito doing the same just after her.

"His apartment and the number of the land line in that apartment," LT said.

Turning to her phone as Esposito got to his to call backup to the building, Beckett called the number she had for the apartment of their fourth vic. She put it on speaker and looked over at Ryan who was nodding as someone picked it up on the other end. "Ms. Wilder-" she started to say.

"No, this is Jerry," a gravely, male sounding voice growled to her. "You must be the P.C. ma'am."

"I am, you contacted us," Beckett replied. "What do you want?"

"I did not contact you, it was her, my wife," the voice said angrily. "Told her I need to keep going, but she wants me to stop."

"Why don't you let me talk to your wife?" Beckett asked, trying to confirm something she'd suspected.

"No, if you want me, you gotta come get me," the voice taunted with a harsh laugh before there was the sharp click and dial tone of the phone being hung up.

"It's Rosalyn Wilder, though I think I was just talking to her husband," Beckett said as the men looked at her. "Joey Richman."

"Detective," the leader of the SWAT team that was at the floor of the building where the second to last vic had lived said as Beckett approached him. "We had shots fired at your backup, so we took point here."

"Is there a negotiator?" Beckett asked, by herself with Castle as Esposito and Ryan were both talking with the people on the floor who'd been evacuated from their apartments after she'd called for more than just the backup that Esposito had ordered to the building.

"Unfortunately no, we managed to talk to him, and-" the man said.

"Her, that's a woman," Beckett said.

"But…" the man said slowly in confusion.

"She's suffering from multiple personality disorder," Castle said; Beckett having told him her theory as they'd driven to the building.

"I researched it in college, I might be able to speak with her," Beckett then said. "Has she made any demands?"

"One, and I don't know how the hell to fulfill it," the man replied. When Castle and Beckett looked at him questioningly he said simply, "He's, she's asking for a P.C. 31."

Taking in a deep breath, Beckett paused then and said, "That would be me," glancing at Castle. "I have those numbers on my badge, in that order; she might have looked into me and my partners. And she called me P.C. over the phone."

"Well, she wants you; if it is you Detective Beckett; to go in there with no weapons, not even backup," the man, whose nametag they saw read Robbins, said. "I can't let you do that- Detective," he continued as Beckett opened her holster and handed her gun to Castle.

"Kate-" Castle began as she knelt down to get her backup piece out of her boot holster. "You can't be serious."

"I'm serious," Beckett said as she handed the gun to him.

"What the hell are you doing?" Esposito said suddenly as he and Ryan approached, seeing her weapons in Castle's hands; the writer looking bewildered.

"Going to negotiate with our killer," Beckett said shortly. She wasn't all that surprised when the three men began to talk at once and she waited for them to stop before she finally almost yelled, "Enough," at them to get their attention. "Do you have a wire Sergeant?" she asked the man.

"Yeah, do you want a piece to communicate with us," Robbins said, motioning to a member of his team.

"No, just have the wire recording. If I get her to relinquish her gun to me and surrender, the DA will need her confession; and her husband's," Beckett said simply. "If they both show up."

"Beckett, you can't do this, Julia-" Ryan said, Esposito echoing him before they were interrupted.

"Enough guys, why don't you two contact Gates, she's going to need to know what's going on," Beckett said. She was relieved when Ryan led Esposito away, and she turned to Castle but couldn't speak before the SWAT team member came over with a wire, helping her put it on. Once he was gone she pulled her fiancé into an empty apartment before they turned the wire on and said, "I'll be fine."

"How do you know that?" Castle asked. "You need to come home; I'm not going to spend my first Father's Day with Julia without you."

"Believe me; I want celebrate it with you both too. Just let me do this Castle, I need to bring her in before she loses control of him completely," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when he hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded and reached out to him and squeezed his hand briefly mouthing the words, _I love you_.

Castle squeezed her hand back before she could let go of him, and mouthed, _I love you too_ , before finally he released her and watched her walk out of the apartment before he paused a moment and followed. He watched her walk to Robbins and the negotiator, and they spoke briefly before she went to the end of the hall, fifty feet down, and nodded when she looked back at him, knowing with her gaze that she was telling him she needed to know he would be there for their daughter if anything happened to her. He only hoped that his look was telling her he would do whatever it took to make sure she was leaving that building with him so they could go home to Julia together. The slight smile that turned up the corners of her lips was an affirmation of her understanding, and turning back in front of her once SWAT had cleared the hall; she turned the corner, and was gone.

Walking past the opened doors of apartments as she headed to the seventh door down, Beckett felt a strange sense of being isolated, though she couldn't forget that back around the corner the hall was full of people. She reached the slightly closed door that had belonged to Sunderland, and before she got too close she called out, "Rosalyn?" wondering who would be answering her.

"Are you the Detective, Jerry talked to?" a woman's voice called from behind the door, though it was still gravelly.

"I am, is it alright if I come inside?" Beckett asked. She saw the door open, and she stepped inside, quick to turn towards the back of the door as the killer closed it behind them. "Do you need to close it?" she asked carefully.

Looking at it, Wilder nodded and pulled it open, but not all the way before she turned to the couch that her husband had moved to face the door. "You can sit," she said.

"She's in there?" Esposito asked Castle in a low voice as he came into the apartment where SWAT was monitoring the wire recording.

"She is," Castle said with a slight frown. "How'd Gates take it?"

"She was a little angry Beckett's taking the risk," Ryan said, having come up behind them.

"A little, she might chew Beckett out when she gets back to the Precinct," Esposito scoffed.

"Guys, keep it down, we're having a hard time hearing her," Robbins said to them.

Castle closed his mouth; having been about to reply to Esposito, when he heard Beckett saying, "So you wanted to talk to me, is it about Jerry?"

Her gaze on the gun in her hands, Wilder said, "We did this, he's gone because of him," her head jerking to a picture of Sunderland with his parents on the wall.

"Because the band broke up?" Beckett asked carefully.

"He was great, he was an amazing Lennon, but Sunderland and Porter… they decided enough was enough. And Jerry back then, back then…" Wilder started to say before her hand holding the gun began to shake.

"Rosalyn," Beckett said sharply. "Rosalyn why did you and Jerry get married."

"What the hell-" Robbins said as Castle nearly shoved past him to get closer to the recorder.

Breathing out heavily a few times, Wilder opened her eyes and said, "Because I loved him, but we were married before the band split up. We came here on a weekend trip and decided we couldn't fight what we felt. So we got married. But when the band broke up… Jerry couldn't get another job, and I was supporting us. And he… gave up." She sat back up, having been leaning to the side in her moment of a near trance-like state, and said, "I found him; he cut his wrists and left me a note, telling me we couldn't hide things from my parents anymore. I needed to be with someone they approved of, someone who could support me and our family." Tears started streaming down the young woman's cheeks as she said, "We were going to start a family, move to a house, and spend the rest of our lives together. But Sunderland killed those dreams… so Jerry had to kill him."

"And everyone else?" Beckett asked.

Laughing hollowly; and sending a chill down Beckett's back at the sound at the same time; Wilder seemed to struggle for a moment before saying, "That damn song was all Sunderland loved, named the band after it, would play it every fucking second," her voice turning into a growl. "Jerry hated it, and that was what we could do. Kill Sunderland and his lover."

"He's there isn't he?" Beckett asked gently as the woman wiped her tears away furiously. "Trying to take over again. Do you let him?"

"He's my husband, I need to," Wilder said, looking surprised Beckett had even asked that. "He died because of Sunderland, and I am all alone because of him too. This is the only way I can have Jerry with me. I can't let him go."

"But you have to understand that he's killed three innocent people," Beckett told her, being careful in her tone as she didn't want the woman to snap and bring the personality she thought was her dead husband about.

"He got away from me then, I was shocked at what he'd done. Sam tried to tell him that what he'd done was wrong, but Jerry said they had to die, they loved the new band more than people had loved our band," Wilder said.

"Who the hell is Sam?" Esposito said.

"Likely another personality," Castle said. "The part of her consciousness that's feeling guilty for what she's doing."

"Then let us help Sam out," Beckett said; having guessed the same as Castle though she had no way of knowing what they'd been talking about. "Give me your gun alright, and we can help Sam out, whatever he needs."

Looking into Beckett's eyes, Wilder shook her head and said, "You'll take Jerry away from me, and I can't go through that again. I love him so much I almost killed myself when I found him. Haven't you ever loved anyone so much you could follow them if they died, just so you knew you'd have the chance to be together somewhere else again? To love him again?"

"He won't be taken away," Beckett said, standing up carefully, but avoiding answering her, though she felt a slight clench in her chest as she found she knew what she would say to that if she could. She walked over to the woman and knelt in front of her, keeping eye contact with her the entire time. "But we'll help Jerry out too, and you, you'll-"

Eyes turning to the monitor as the sound of a woman singing started on the other end; interrupting Beckett; Castle glanced at Ryan and Esposito as his body felt like it'd been plunged in ice as they all listened to the lyrics.

_P.C. Thirty-one said, "We've got dirty one"_

_Maxwell stands alone_

Opening her eyes, Wilder smiled and then slumped on the couch, making Beckett start to stand up. But before she could take a step forward, the woman was sitting up, and her grey eyes were suddenly different. Beckett started to step back as Wilder raised the gun to her when the voice of Jerry came out.

"Maxwell stands alone, Detective," he told her. With that, he pulled the trigger, Beckett yelling, "No!"

"Shots fired! We need a full breech!" Robbins yelled to his SWAT team. "He, hey!" he said when Castle was suddenly running out of the apartment before anyone could move, Esposito and Ryan following him.

"Castle, you-" Esposito started to say when the writer stopped at the doorway, peered in and almost seemed to jump inside.

His head shooting back and forth as he saw the body on the couch, Castle saw his fiancée in the kitchen, running water and rubbing at her face a little frantically. "She's dead," he said, glancing at Wilder, who'd shot herself in the temple.

"Jerry's dead, she had no other choice but to follow him," Beckett said, taking the paper towel Castle had gotten for her.

"You're okay?" he asked her in a low tone of voice as SWAT was leaving to secure the floor and Esposito and Ryan were making phone calls.

"Yeah, just, her blood was on me," Beckett said, touching her face.

"You got it," Castle said gently. "We should go; Gates would want them to take care of everything from here."

Nodding, as she knew he was right, Beckett went to the boys and talked to them quickly before she joined her fiancé in the hall. As they walked down it; since they were alone for the moment; she said, "You should have let SWAT come in first. What if she'd shot me?"

Shaking his head, Castle said simply, "I knew she was fighting with all three of her personalities, and since Jerry knew he was caught singing what he did, I figured it'd either be suicide by cop, or just suicide. Here."

Beckett took her weapons then and holstered both before she said, "At least things are over but… what a waste," as she took her phone out of her pocket. "Mr. Porter? Yes, this is Detective Beckett. I'm calling to let you know that the killer has been found and I'll be taking the protective detail off your place. But I'd like to speak with you back at my station, so I'll ask you to go with the officer standing guard once I speak to him. There are some things that my partner and I need to discuss with you."

* * *

"Here," Castle said to Beckett as she was beginning to take some of the pictures down from the murder board. When she turned to him he held out the cup of coffee in his hand and when she took it said, "So looks like you're off the hook."

"She'll call me in when she gets the chance," Beckett said simply, shrugging her shoulders. "Thank you," she said quickly before she took a sip. "So why are you still here? Once Ryan and Espo get back we're going to get started on the paperwork."

"I was going to wait and sign the papers now," Castle said. "And-"

"Detective Beckett?" Gates said from her office.

"I'll wait then," Castle said quickly before he sat next to her desk.

Beckett set her cup down before going to the captain's office, standing in front of the desk as Gates closed the door. "Sir-" she began.

Holding her hand up, Gates walked around her desk and sat down saying, "I was informed what happened to you inside the apartment of your fourth victim. And I'm a little surprised at the risk you took."

"I thought it was necessary, and it's what Wilder wanted," Beckett said.

"And you assumed you'd be able to talk to a woman with multiple personality disorder," Gates said.

"My final for my psychology class in college was a report on a mental disorder. I was given that and I spoke with three psychologists that specialized in it, and was also able to see sessions they had with former patients at a mental institute," Beckett said. "I was aware of what I needed not to say to her. But she was fighting against the personalities; I think she was aware there was only one way to stop the struggle she was having with the other two personalities that were more prominent with her."

"I heard it was this man called Jerry; her husband; that supposedly pulled the trigger," Gates commented.

"She let him," Beckett said simply. She shrugged slightly when Gates looked at her and said, "I can't explain it any better than guessing Wilder couldn't go onto medication and possibly lose her husband again, and she allowed him to take over as it was easier that way. That personality knew he was caught so…"

"So do we blame Jerry for her appearance, and going out with the first vic?" Gates said.

Nodding, Beckett said, "That date was never supposed to go any further than it did. And she was convincing as a man once she'd cut her hair. Or when Jerry did. It also made her look like Alfred Mayes, who she used to be able to fake her own death and start trying to see if she could get revenge. I would guess that she killed the Mayes family because they discovered what she was going to do, or she was afraid they were. Or he did… I can't really tell you what was going on with the personalities beyond the past few days."

"Alright, I'll have to ask you not to risk your life like that again," Gates said. "I can't have one of my detectives walking into an apartment with an armed suspect with nothing to protect them but their vest."

"I'll try not to sir, the situation warranted me doing that though," Beckett said seriously.

Gates nodded once in agreement, and then said, "And off the record, from one mother to another, I'm glad for your daughter's sake that you came out of things alright."

"Yes sir," Beckett said, smiling briefly. She left the room after the captain put on her glasses, and went back to the murder board, seeing Ryan and Esposito were at their desks, starting on the paperwork.

"Did she scold you?" Ryan commented as she walked by.

"No, just wanted me to wrap things up," Beckett said simply.

"What did Porter have to say?" Esposito asked.

"Just in shock hearing his former band mate was married to the killer. None of them knew she had that problem," Beckett said. "I looked into her medical history, and Wilder was never diagnosed with the disorder, so it went untreated. But the trigger was her second husband's suicide, finding him brought him to her, though I get the feeling that personality became him and was somebody else in the first place."

"So are we all set?" Castle asked, walking up to them then.

"He just wants to get out of here," Esposito said, smirking at him.

"Why not? Tomorrow's Friday, you're not working are you?" Castle directed to Beckett.

"No, Julia's graduating remember. Your mom said she was going to go," she said to him.

"Great, I guess I will too, if I'm not too busy," Castle said. "Okay, so you don't need me here I'm going to guess?"

"Just to sign this," Ryan said, motioning him to his desk. "Here, here, and here. Okay, thanks, you're done," he said as Castle signed quickly.

"Wait, one thing, a drink for the road, excuse me," Castle said quickly, going over to the break room.

"I should get another coffee," Beckett said, glancing at her watch before realizing she could tell her fiancé her plan she'd thought of the day before. "Just give me the paperwork I need to fill out; I'll stay late if I need to, so I don't have to come in in the end tomorrow." When Ryan nodded to that, she went to the break room after grabbing her cup of coffee and when she walked inside, saw that Castle was leaning against the counter. "So the to go was bull?" she teased him.

"Language Detective Beckett, you're a mother," he said simply as he watched her pour out the cold coffee into the sink. He took the mug from her and started another cup as he said, "What is it?"

"How… okay, I thought yesterday that you could pick Julia up from school, remember, she got out early today and the dance class is finishing in five minutes," Beckett told him, not too surprised he'd remembered the surprise she had talked about for their daughter.

"I haven't had the chance to do that by myself," Castle said slowly. "Are you sure?"

"I am, by the time you get to the school, most of the kids will be gone, and if anyone recognizes you, just… make something up. You always say you're good at improv," Beckett said simply.

"Not that kind of improv, the kind when we're alone," Castle said, raising and lowering his eyebrows rapidly a few times. He smiled when Beckett shook her head at that, and then said, "Okay, anything you want me to do with her before you come home?"

"Anything you'd like, you'll make sure she's safe," Beckett said, waving her hand as she took the finished coffee from him. She let their fingers briefly caress as he handed it to her, and she smiled at him saying, "See you at home," in a low voice. Walking out of the room, she called out, "Bye Castle."

Watching his fiancé walk back to her desk, Castle took a deep breath and left, checking the time. He was thinking so intently as he went into the elevator of what he could do with Julia while it was just them that he didn't see Lanie step out, or hear her tentative greeting.

Turning from the closed doors, Lanie shook her head and then walked over to her friend, standing next to her desk. "Hey," she said simply to Beckett's surprised look.

"What are you doing here?" she said finally.

"I'm wondering if we can talk, Perlmutter is doing the autopsy on your killer," Lanie said.

Standing up, Beckett nodded saying, "We can go to the break room," wondering what her friend wanted to talk about, since they were set; at least she thought they were. Closing the doors to give them a little privacy, she went to pour Lanie a cup of coffee before she sat down at the table with her. There was silence before she finally had to break it, wondering how that conversation would turn out as she began to speak.


	13. In The Home

Walking into the dance studio at Mt. Surrey, Castle was a little surprised to see that Julia was the only child left in the class. He was about to speak when the little girl looked up at him and smiled widely before her teacher turned to see who she was looking at. "Her mother's still working," he explained to Miss Amber while Julia was going to get her backpack and bag.

"That's fine, we were just talking about the class once we meet again for summer," the teacher explained, going to help Julia with her bag.

"She's gonna teach both dances," the little girl said seriously. "Ballet and Ballroom, and Latin too. We're gonna learn the Jive!"

"That's great," Castle said, knowing that she wanted to learn that one especially. "Are you ready to go now though?"

"Yeah. Bye Miss Amber, thank you for signing my book," Julia said, hugging her teacher quickly.

"You're welcome, I'll be at the graduation tomorrow, so I'll see you there," Miss Amber said before the two left the studio.

"Oh! Bye Miss Yvette!" Julia exclaimed when they met the teacher's wife at the door.

"Goodbye Julia, see you tomorrow at your graduation," Miss Yvette said.

"So Mommy's still working?" Julia asked when she and Castle had left the building and were walking to the gate to the street. "Did you finish working, everything?"

"We finished the case," Castle said with a nod, letting go of Julia for a moment so he could flag down a cab. "But she might be a little late because she has to do-"

"Homework?" Julia interrupted.

Chuckling a little; since that was what she called paperwork; Castle said, "Yeah, so I was thinking, since she might be late, we should get something special for her."

"Good, what do we get? Flowers?" Julia asked.

"Exactly what I was thinking," Castle said before he waved at a cab approaching. Then he quickly said, "But you pick them out okay?"

"Kay, I'll pick the prettiest flowers Mommy sees," Julia said in excitement as she went into the taxi that had stopped in front of them first.

* * *

Walking into his place an hour later, Castle said, "I'm really glad you don't have homework," laughing as Julia carried the bouquet they'd gotten for her mother to the kitchen, waiting for him to get a vase. He set down her bag and backpack next to the stairs before he joined her, and got one ready before saying, "So you got a yearbook today?"

"Yeah, it's just for kindergarten," Julia said. "And Mrs. Clayton, Miss Amber and Miss Yvette signed it for me. But I don't know what they put in it."

"Well if you want me to, I can read it for you," Castle said, setting the vase onto the counter where Beckett would be able to see it when she came home. He picked Julia up as she was shaking her head no and said, "Really? How come?"

"I want Mommy to see it too, at the same time," Julia said quickly. "Now what do we do?" she asked as he was walking to the couch.

"That depends on what you want to do," Castle commented. "We could go out to a playground, play a board game or play something else."

"Something else what?" Julia asked him.

"Hide and seek, you never really let me play with you. Your mom says you're pretty good at it," Castle said. "But that's up to you."

"Kay," Julia said with a wide smile. "You be it first and you find me."

"Okay, I'll count to ten and you be ready; home will be the couch here," Castle told her, sitting down. He covered his eyes; to her giggle; and then started to count to ten slowly, hearing her run away from him. When he reached the last number, he opened his eyes and looked around; starting to go to the kitchen though he already had an idea of where she'd gone from where her footsteps had gone. He pretended to search for her there until he headed over to his office, and opening the door leading to his room, he heard Julia squeal and turned to run after her.

Nearly making it to the couch, she cried out heavily in joy as Castle picked her up and she laughed saying, "No fair, I don't have long legs like you do!"

"I know, but I couldn't help it," he said to her, kissing her cheek before she gave him a kiss in return. "So now you're it okay?"

"Kay, but you have to hide, Mommy hides from me still," Julia said seriously as Castle set her down in front of the couch.

"Right, so who's counting, you right?" Castle asked. "I don't think I could again."

"I can count," Julia said with a nod. She covered her eyes with her hands after closing them, and counted as slowly as he had. When she opened her eyes at ten, she glanced around, and ran to Castle's office, looking around to make sure he hadn't chosen the place she'd picked out. She then ran to his room, and looked around before going to her mother's side of the bed, trying to look underneath when she heard the closet door open and she whirled around, seeing Castle starting to run out. She took off after him, squealing in her effort to catch up to him, but when he reached the rug under the couch, he tripped on a piece of it that was sticking up, falling hard to the floor. "Castle!" she cried out as she rushed to him as he turned over.

"That's what I get for trying to cheat," Castle joked, turning over with a slight grunt. "I'm okay sweetheart," he said quickly, surprised when she threw her arms around him, snuggling close to him as she pressed her cheek against his. He picked her up then and carried her to the couch, sitting with her on his lap. "I should have watched where I was going," he said, kissing her forehead.

"I don't wanna play that anymore," Julia said, peering up at him with tears in her eyes. "I thought you were hurt. Did you get hurt?"

"I don't think so," Castle said, showing her his arms and then moving his legs, making her bounce as she giggled softly, sniffing loudly. He hugged her tightly and said, "Well, you'll have a funny story to tell your mom when she gets home. Should we play some games now?"

"It wasn't funny," Julia said seriously. She sighed and hugged him again before climbing down to the floor with his help before they went to his office. "Not that one," she told him as they were looking through the games. "I wanna play that one with Mommy," she said as she pushed aside Perfection. "This one," she said happily, taking out the Clue Jr. game he and her mother had bought for her.

"That doesn't surprise me," Castle said, smiling at her choice. Though the game entailed finding toys hidden by pets in a doghouse, he knew his and Beckett's daughter thought it made her like them since it was still investigating a crime. He kissed her temple and stood up, taking her hand as they walked to the couch so they could play at the coffee table.

Watching as he set the game up, Julia said, "I wish Mommy could play with us."

"We can leave this out until she gets home," Castle said simply. "And she'll try and get back home as soon as she can."

"But she has to go to our home first before she comes home here," Julia reminded him.

"She does, but now that we got your clothes for her, she'll be able to go a lot faster," Castle commented. "So for now, let's play."

Julia picked out her piece she played with, the blue one, and watched as he chose the green piece before she said, "Do we have to see who goes first?"

"I think so," Castle said. "It's what the rules say." He handed her the dice and watched as she rolled before starting to move. Since they'd played the game several times after buying it, he didn't really have to help Julia too much. He wasn't too surprised when she was able to guess the right solution, and he ruffled her hair as she showed him the cards of that solution they'd put to the side.

"Can we play again?" Julia asked, before he could get the pieces of the game back in order.

About to answer, Castle wasn't too surprised when Julia yawned widely suddenly and he smiled saying, "I don't know sweetheart, it looks like you didn't get enough sleep last night. Maybe you should take a nap."

"I don't like taking naps," Julia said with a groan.

"Come here," Castle said, helping her up and making her go around the table so he could pick her up. "It'll be a cat nap okay?"

"What's that? I have to sleep like a kitty?" Julia asked as he set her on his lap.

"No, it means you take a very short nap," Castle said, kissing the top of her head as she snuggled against his chest. "So ten minutes, and I'll wake you up and we can see what to do about dinner."

"Kay," Julia said, yawning again. She sighed as Castle began to stroke her hair, and the motion was so soothing that she couldn't fight her eyes as they kept drooping closed. Finally she fell asleep, not really realizing that she had as she relaxed against him.

Watching Julia, Castle pressed his cheek to the top of her head once he was sure she was sleeping, and he took a breath. He was a little tired himself from his time spent with Beckett the night before, so he was asleep shortly after her, not realizing it either as he held her to him securely with one hand; forgetting to set his alarm to wake them up in ten minutes.

* * *

Walking down the hall nearly forty-five minutes later, Beckett was at the door to Castle's and was a little surprised to hear it was absolutely silent inside. She opened the door with her key, and paused when she saw her fiancé and their daughter sleeping on the couch. Biting her lower lip, she was careful to close and lock the door behind her as quietly as she could. She set her bag next to the closet door, and then started to walk behind the couch, pausing again when she saw the bouquet of tulips on the kitchen counter.

Walking around the other end of the couch, Beckett sat down next to Castle, seeing his head was tilted back, and Julia was leaning against his chest. Taking out her phone, she quickly took a picture before slipping it back into her pocket. She then reached over, and carefully pushed some strands of his hair off his forehead, wanting to wake him up but not scare him and scare their daughter. "Good morning," she said as he opened his eyes and moved his head to look at her, looking confused.

"Hey, how long were we sleeping?" Castle said before he groaned slightly as he remembered the alarm he was supposed to have set then.

"I have no idea, but what had you t… never mind," Beckett said, answering her own question before she had finished it.

"You, it's raining?" Castle asked, hearing the sound suddenly.

"It started while I was at my place," Beckett said, watching him adjust Julia slightly. "So she was tired."

"Yeah, I bet she was too nervous to sleep last night," Castle replied, watching Beckett stroke their daughter's reddish brown hair.

"She did look tired when we talked to her this morning," she commented with a smile before she felt the little girl moving. "Hey sweetie, good morning," she said gently as Julia's green eyes opened and looked at her. "It looks like you had a nice nap," she said, smiling wider as Julia blinked a few times, looking confused as Castle had.

"You slept too?" the little girl asked, looking up at him questioningly, her voice still a little thick with sleep.

"I did, I was tired too I guess; you wore me out playing hide and seek," Castle said, helping her go to her mother.

"You played that?" Beckett asked as she hugged their daughter to her tightly, kissing the top of her head.

"Yeah, oh, Castle fell when he was going home," Julia said worriedly, looking at him.

"Was hoping she'd forget that," Castle said, making a face. With his fiancée looking at him questioningly, he sighed and said, "Yeah, I was running back here to the couch which we said was home, but there was a part of the rug sticking up, and of course I go straight to that and I fell. But I'm okay, well, except for right here."

"You hurt your lips," Beckett said, shooting him a look.

"Pretty badly too, ouch," Castle said, touching his lower lip and pretending to wince.

Julia watched with a little smile on her face, since she knew what he was trying to do, and she glanced up at her mother when she didn't do or say anything. Frowning, she was going to move, thinking it was because she was there that her mother wasn't kissing him, but before she could do that, Beckett was grabbing onto Castle's collar, and pulled him to her lips for a brief kiss. Blushing she looked down at her hands before wrapping her arms around her mother, waiting.

"You realize you don't need to make something up for that right?" Beckett commented when they'd parted.

"My lips feel so much better," Castle said. "And now I'm ready to get dinner set, so-" He paused when he felt Julia tugging on his hand and looked down at her asking, "What is it?"

"My lips are hurt too," Julia said shyly, glancing up at her mother as she said that.

Leaning down, Beckett shared a kiss with her before she watched Castle give their daughter a kiss. "Okay, so now that we've gotten that done, what are we doing for dinner, I'm starving," she said.

"I was thinking Greek tonight," Castle commented. "A little tired to cook."

"That sounds fine to me, sweetie?" Beckett asked, not surprised when Julia nodded eagerly. "The usual?" when Julia nodded a second time she continued with, "While Castle orders, we can play your game."

Standing up first, Castle waited for Beckett to do so and he said, "Two things you forgot sweetheart."

"What?" Julia asked in surprise.

"How did it go reciting the alphabet?" Beckett asked, remembering that suddenly.

"Oh! Lemme show, Mommy, we can play my game after dinner, or another day, I wanna show this," Julia said as she hurried to where her backpack was.

While they were waiting for her, Castle turned to Beckett and whispered to her, "You worked out again."

"A bath will help," was all she said in return, giving him a look so he wouldn't doubt that she was expecting him to join her. She wasn't too surprised when he wrapped his arm around her waist, but had to still his hand as Julia was coming back to them.

"Look, Mrs. Clayton gave me this for saying the alphabet," the little girl said, holding up a piece of paper.

" _For reciting her alphabet, Julia Beckett. June 12th, 2014_ ," Castle read. "See, we told you you'd do a great job."

"We're very proud of you," Beckett said, picking her up then and hugging her tightly. "And did closing your eyes help?"

"Yeah, after I asked everyone did that," Julia said with a smile. "We all were scared."

"Well, now you're ready for the first grade," Castle said, taking her from his fiancée and kissing her cheek. "And the other thing," he said quickly, before Julia could show her mother her yearbook. When the little girl looked at him in confusion, he nodded to the kitchen and she gasped before saying, "I got you these Mommy, me and Castle got these," taking her hand and pulling her to the counter once she was set down.

"Thank you Julia," Beckett said, touching the red and white tulips. "Any reason why?" she directed to Castle who was on the other side, opening a drawer to look for the menu to the Greek place they ordered from.

"No reason, just because," he replied, not looking at her. He knew she'd be able to guess that for him, it was a kind of relief that he could give her flowers after the risk she'd run earlier that day. Turning back to them, he saw that Julia was pulling her back to the couch, and breathed out, knowing they'd have a chance to talk that night once their daughter was in bed.

Sitting on the couch with Julia on her lap, Beckett looked on as her daughter opened the book, showing her the pictures from her class. "There you are," she said, pointing out her daughter's class picture towards the beginning. She smiled and kissed Julia's temple when the little girl giggled shyly and squirmed on her lap. "Show me your friends' pictures okay?"

"Kay, there's Johnny," Julia said quickly, pointing out the little boy, whose last name was Barrow so his picture was before hers. "There's Celia," pointing to Celia a little down the rows of pictures since her last name was Gower. She pointed to the rest of her friends from class, then the ones in her dance classes in the other kindergarten classrooms as Castle joined them after ordering dinner. They looked through the rest of the pictures in the yearbook before they got to the last pages which had the little messages her teachers had written for her. "Can you read what they say Mommy?" she asked.

"This one says, _It was great having you in my class this year, you are a wonderful student. Have a fun summer, Mrs. Clayton_ ," Beckett read, pleased to see both the kindergarten teacher and dance teacher had signed the second page for autographs. "And Miss Amber wrote, _I'll see you later in the summer, but I have enjoyed having such an attentive student in my first class this year_. Miss Yvette wrote here underneath, _I agree and we will miss you until classes start again, remember your extensions! Hasta luego_."

Giggling, Julia said, "She always says that about extensions. But what does that mean at the end?"

"It means until later," Castle said. "The Spanish say that instead of goodbye."

"I like that," Julia said. "I asked Castle if he would sign my book, will you?" she said to her mother.

"Of course," Beckett said quickly, kissing her forehead. "Now we should set the table."

"Kay, after can I look outside?" Julia said.

"You can," Castle said as he went to get some wine for him and Beckett, and some juice for Julia.

With her mother helping her, Julia was able to skip over to the windows looking out quickly, and she watched the rain dripping down the glass before she saw a flash of lightning. She looked in awe as she was able to see the cloudy sky light up briefly, but several seconds later, the thunder began, rumbling louder and making her tense up. She felt someone come up behind her, and she turned, pressing her face into her mother's side.

"It's alright," Beckett said gently.

"But what if the lights go off?" Julia asked, peering up at her.

"We have flashlights and the same lanterns we used at the beach house," Castle said before he went to the door at a rapid knock.

"He's right, but that lightning is pretty far away," Beckett said.

"How do you know?" Julia asked.

"There's a trick to it, my grandfather taught me. Wait for the lightning," Beckett told her as Castle set their dinner on the table and started to serve it. There was a flash of light and she said, "Now count, one thousand one, one thousand two…"

Julia counted with her, reaching eight before the thunder began and she quickly said, "What does it mean."

"That it's eight miles away," Beckett said, taking her then to the table. "So it's pretty far."

"Can you do that all the time?" Julia asked.

"Not unless the thunder starts right away," Castle said. "But your mom is right," he said as he helped Julia wash her hands. "It's pretty far, so we should be okay with the electricity."

Sitting down to their gyros and stuffed grapevine leaves, Beckett said, "You have to tell us how school went today sweetie. You practiced for your graduation tomorrow didn't you?"

Nodding as she was eating, Julia spoke quickly when she had finished saying, "We put on our robe and hat and we get our diploma," pronouncing the last word slowly. "And then we go to the classroom to have drinks and cookies."

"Before lunch, I'm surprised the other parents didn't protest that," Castle commented, looking at his fiancée.

"They'll be hyper even without that, good luck getting them to eat," Beckett said, waving her hand in the air.

"So you and Castle are gonna go Mommy, who else?" Julia asked after they'd eaten in silence for a little longer.

"My mother is definitely going," Castle said first.

"And your grandpapa too, but Lanie, Ryan and Esposito need to see if they can get off work in time to go," Beckett said. "But they want me to take pictures to show them."

"Would you mind if they weren't able to go?" Castle asked. He wasn't too surprised when Julia shook her head no and said, "We should have a graduation party with her."

"You mean I should throw a dinner for summer," Beckett said wryly. "Or you could if you wanted to hold it here; you have more room for that."

"And invite the boys, Jenny and Lanie?" Castle asked. At Beckett's nod he said, "I'll do that in a couple weeks; give me some time to plan it."

"Where's her cap and gown?" Beckett then asked.

"In her bag, I have no idea what it looks like, she wouldn't let me see it," Castle commented as Julia giggled since he turned to her.

"I wanted you to see it at the same time," the little girl explained. She finished her juice then and said, "Can I get it."

"Let's clean up," Castle said, since they were finished by then. "And then we'll take a look at it."

Sliding down from her chair, Julia took her plate from the table, and just as it was sliding off, it slipped in her fingers, and she caught it in her arms, holding it to her chest. She cried out, startled as the tzatziki sauce from the gyro smeared onto her shirt. "Mommy," she said, tears welling into her eyes as she looked up at them.

"Here," Castle said, since he was closer to her then. "Kate-" he started to say after he'd taken the plate off of Julia.

"Take her up and change her into her spare shirt she has," Beckett said simply. "I'll get started."

"I'm sorry," Julia called to her as Castle led her upstairs.

"It's okay sweetie, just get changed and come back down," Beckett told her while she walked to the kitchen.

Up in Alexis' room, Castle helped Julia change before letting her put on her new shirt, a Beatles shirt that was her spare when she was at the loft. "Okay, all set?" he asked, since she seemed to have recovered a little. "I got all the sauce right?" as he'd dabbed it off.

"Yeah," Julia said with a sigh. "That never happened before," she told him as she took his hand and they headed for the stairs.

"You shouldn't really worry, like your mom said," Castle told her, picking her up then. "And I just got a great idea since I realized the lightning and thunder stopped." He smiled when Julia begged him to tell her what he'd thought of, but he didn't answer, reaching Beckett who was about to start cleaning the table. At their daughter's insistence, he set Julia down and watched her run to her mother.

"Let me help," the little girl begged her mother, reaching for the damp towel she held.

"Clean the corners for me sweetie," Beckett said, watching as Julia stood on tiptoe at all four corners to wipe off the table before going back to her. "Thank you," she said simply before she glanced over to her fiancé to see what he was doing.

"So I got an idea," Castle said, seeing Beckett's look towards him as he was cutting up a peach into slices. "For dessert."

"And? You can't leave her hanging like that," Beckett said in amusement, nodding to their daughter who was biting her lower lip as she watched them anxiously.

"Head down two blocks to the new gelato place," Castle said.

"Well," Beckett said, going to the sink and washing her hands since she'd finished cleaning up. "I think we can do that, we fit under that umbrella you have."

"Now?" Julia asked eagerly.

"After we finish our fruit," Castle said, handing her some slices on a napkin. He watched her run to the window and went with Beckett after her. They sat on the chairs at the tables there, watching their daughter eat her peach slices before licking the juice off her fingers.

"Sweetie, napkin," Beckett said, but without any real kind of scolding. "Alright, let's go, because we need to give her a bath for tomorrow."

"Now I can show the robe and hat," Julia said as they went to the front door. She went into her bag with her new clothes for the next day and also the next week. "See?"

Taking the cap and gown in their packaging still, Beckett smiled and said, "All in blue."

"And light blue for the tassel, very nice," Castle said, giving Julia a thumbs up before she leaned against him. "We'll need to take a lot of pictures tomorrow."

"With everyone?" Julia asked as her mother set aside the packages on the table.

"With your family and friends, your two teachers too, everyone we can get to take a picture with you," Castle told her.

"That's a lot of pictures," Julia said seriously. She then frowned and said, "But… but what about Alexis?" her voice dropping into a whisper.

"She came up with an ingenious plan; she must be my daughter," Castle said in an aside to Beckett who only pushed him away from her. He laughed at that reaction and continued saying, "She suggested I Skype on my phone with her during the ceremony."

"She won't… oh; I keep forgetting the time change. What time is her first final tomorrow?" Beckett asked.

"Nine to eleven," Castle said simply. "Developmental Psychology."

"She should do good," Julia said as she put on her jacket her mother handed her with Castle's help. "She watched the movie she had to a lot she said."

"And she didn't breathe a word of any details, so she's already got that patient-doctor privilege down pat," Castle said as he grabbed his big umbrella. "Okay, let's get going," he said. He took Beckett's hand as Julia held her mother's other, and they went out into the hall. Getting down to the sidewalk outside his building, he opened the umbrella and just as they started to walk towards the store, his phone began to ring. "Speaking of Alexis," he said, seeing who it was. "Hey kiddo, you caught me walking down the street with Kate and Julia."

Looking on as he didn't put the phone onto speaker, Beckett felt Julia squeezing her hand, knowing their daughter wanted to speak to Alexis. "Hold on sweetie," she told her quickly to calm her down.

"Okay, she'll talk to us back at the apartment, she just called to see we weren't eating dinner," Castle said as soon as he'd hung up. "So you'll see her soon sweetheart," he told Julia, seeing her about to speak.

Inside the gelato shop, Beckett read the flavors to Julia as they waited in line, and after getting their orders she let their daughter lead her and Castle to a table. "Is that your mom?" she asked her fiancé, seeing a familiar face looking through the windows outside.

"I'll be right back, don't take my ice cream," Castle said in a mockingly stern tone to Julia who only smiled at that. "Mother?" he called as he came out of the door and saw that it was her.

"I thought it was you," Martha said, closing her umbrella to come inside. "I didn't have a chance to call about dinner; I went with a few students to the nearby French café."

"Did you have dessert?" Castle asked. He wasn't surprised when his mother didn't answer, instead walked over to the counter to get in line. "I think she's joining us," he commented as he sat down with his fiancée and their daughter.

"Hi Martha," Julia said eagerly as she sat with them.

"Hello kiddo, how was your day at school?" she asked the little girl.

Since Julia was talking to Martha, Beckett and Castle listened in on the conversation; basically the same things she'd told them, but they were both amused at hearing her tell the story of how she'd nearly stumbled on the letter q when she'd been reciting the alphabet.

"I knew you'd do wonderfully," Martha commented when they were finished and stepping outside. "And very smart of you to think of the animal alphabet in your book to help you remember q."

"I'm happy that I did! I don't want to be in grades and not know my alphabet," Julia said, walking with her under Martha's umbrella, her mother and Castle following them. She glanced behind at them as they waited to cross the street, and saw they were talking quietly to each other. "Is my mommy kay?" she whispered to Martha.

Surprised, she glanced at Julia and then back at her son and his fiancée before realizing what the little girl was likely picking up on. She had been aware of the way Beckett and Castle had gotten the killer in their case, since a student of hers had been watching the news during a break in their class, and had seen them leaving the building; letting her know what he'd seen. Martha sighed under her breath, wishing the bond between Julia and Beckett wasn't as strong as it was that the little girl picked up on things like that, but she said, since Julia was looking up at her intently, "She's just fine darling, I would imagine she's a little tired from the work she had to do with this case. From what she and Richard told me, it was a little difficult to solve."

Julia nodded at that, but still felt a little unsure, and she went to her mother once they were in the lobby of Castle's building. She wrapped her arms around Beckett before she could move, and pressed close to her, keeping her from going to the elevators.

"Come here sweetie," Beckett said picking her up in her arms and sharing a look with Castle as they'd been waiting for her to pick up on something with either of them after what had happened that day. "Are you tired?"

"No, but… can we play a different game, I don't wanna play Clue now," Julia said.

"I wouldn't mind if we did," Beckett told her as they went up to his floor. "But if you don't really want to," she said since Julia had looked a little panicked hearing that. "Then what would you like to play?"

"UNO," Julia said simply. "Will you play too?" she asked Castle and Martha.

"Of course," Martha replied first. "And Richard, you are too, we'll keep score and see who gets the most points," she said as she took Julia into her arms and carried her into the loft.

"Okay, I guess we're all playing," Castle commented to his fiancée as they walked in after her.

Sitting around the table as her fiancé was starting to shuffle the large deck of cards for the game, Beckett commented, "It's a little quiet isn't it?"

"Julia?" Castle said, holding his hand out to her.

When the two had disappeared into his office, Martha leaned over to Beckett across the table and said, "Are you alright?"

"You heard about what happened?" she asked.

"A little, just that there was a SWAT team responding to shots fired and an NYPD detective went in to negotiate with the shooter," Martha said. "And also they mentioned personalities?"

Looking up as the sound of Paul McCartney singing _Give Ireland Back to the Irish_ started, Beckett quickly explained the situation with the killer, not surprised when Martha looked at her in a little shock as she had to tell her she'd gone into the apartment unarmed. "I know it was a risk, but, it was either that or a shootout. I had to try and talk to her."

"Well, things ended alright, I guess we can take something from that," Martha said. She saw that Castle was suddenly chasing Julia around the desk, and she smiled before saying, "He was shaken up."

"I know, I was too, but, we'll be alright," Beckett assured her, smiling slightly as she watched the two. "Castle," she called then. "Your mom and I are going to start playing ourselves since you and Julia decided to play hide and seek again."

Squealing as Castle picked her up, swinging her legs up in the air, Julia giggled and said breathlessly, "I was teasing him Mommy, we're gonna play right now."

Setting Julia down in her chair after he kissed her temple, Castle squeezed Beckett's hand in passing before sitting down at his chair. He then began to deal the cards as the song switched to one by George Harrison. "You know, I'm surprised you let her listen to this," he commented to his fiancée as he recognized it by the opening music.

"It's a good song," Julia said with a giggle as George Harrison's _The Pirate Song_ began. She sang along as she watched the others take their turns with the game, and then she placed a draw two card saying sheepishly, "Sorry Martha."

"That's a better card to get rid of," she commented simply, taking two from the deck. "Speaking of music, are you finished with that list of yours?"

"Yeah, I have all the songs good for Mommy and Castle," Julia said, putting down a card after her mother had gone. "Alexis has to look at them."

"Speaking of Alexis; again," Castle said as his phone suddenly started to shake on the table. "I think we should put our game on pause." And with that they went to his office where he simply turned on the TV; having set things up while he and Julia were getting the music set.

"Hey Gram, I didn't think you'd be back yet," Alexis said in surprise when she saw her grandmother with the others once the screen was on.

"I ran into these three at the new gelato place down the street," Martha said simply. "How are you darling?"

"I'm okay," Alexis said a little hesitatingly.

"Did you do okay on your test?" Julia asked.

"Oh, yeah, I passed, the professor told us if we did or not after our presentation. He thought I did a great job with my report. It's nothing to do with school," Alexis said.

"You're almost finished, so I'm not sure why you'd have a problem with school," Castle said, since she would no longer be attending UC Berkley with her final in Modern Irish the next afternoon. He opened his mouth to say more, when he felt his fiancée's hand squeeze his arm. He looked at her, and then turned to his daughter when she started to talk.

"There's something I should tell you, since I'm sure you're going to wonder," Alexis said slowly. "Max and I broke up earlier today, after my History final."

"Oh Alexis-" Martha started to say in sympathy.

"It's okay actually, don't feel bad for me, because this was going to happen anyways," she quickly said. "We kind of drifted apart before Christmas, and we decided my coming here to California would be a nice break to make us want to be back together again when I came home. But we realized it was more of a chance to have a break from each other and the relationship. We just finalized it tonight."

"I'm still sorry to hear that sweetheart," Castle said. "You seemed pretty happy."

"I know, I thought I was too, but," Alexis said with a shrug, not continuing.

"How are you doing right now?" Beckett asked her.

Smiling at that, Alexis said, "Pretty great considering, like I said, it was something I knew would happen. So, now that's over, tell me how it went for you at school today Jules. How was it when you recited?"

The rest of the conversation was mostly between Alexis and Julia, as they both talked about their days at school. Watching his daughter, Castle couldn't see any indication of when she'd be coming home, and he felt deeply disappointed as she said goodbye to them, saying she was heading to the Academy of Sciences as the school had managed to arrange a trip for the students from Columbia, to celebrate the end of the semester. He didn't try to ask when she was coming back; instead telling her he loved her before saying goodbye. While his mother and Julia left he started to take down the cords plugged into the TV when he saw his fiancée standing next to him out of the corner of his eye.

"She'll come back, just give her time okay?" Beckett said gently.

"I know, just, I don't know if I'll be that happy this Sunday if she's not here," Castle said. "I love Julia, and I'll enjoy it with her, but I want both my daughters with me."

Smiling at that, Beckett let him finish before she took his face into her hands and kissed him gently on the lips. "Come on, we need to get Julia to bed soon."

Nodding, Castle followed her to the table, and they finished up their first game of UNO, Martha winning.

As he was shuffling the deck again, Beckett was a little surprised when Julia climbed up on her lap. "Sleepy?" she asked the little girl as she yawned and stretched.

"Yeah, can I watch you play Mommy?" Julia asked.

"Go ahead, but don't fall asleep yet, you need to take a bath still," Beckett said. When the little girl groaned she said, "You need to be clean in your new dress and graduation robes."

"Yeah, would not be a good look if you went like Pig Pen, clouds of dirt following you wherever you go," Castle said, smiling when Julia laughed a little at that.

Watching as the three played the game, Julia leaned back against her mother, holding her hand after her arm wrapped around her stomach. She knew something had happened that day; something with her mother's work; she just couldn't figure out what. But she could tell from the way Castle was looking at her mother when she was playing, that he was trying to make sure she wouldn't disappear suddenly and was thinking something else though she couldn't tell from the look on his face. She sighed and then turned, wrapping her arms around her mother tightly, pressing her cheek to her as she felt suddenly relieved that her mother was there with her.

"We're almost finished sweetie," Beckett whispered, leaning down and kissing her forehead. She put down her last card; winning the game; and was about to wait for Castle to put the deck back together again when Martha took the cards out of his hand.

"Go and get her ready, I'll come up to say goodnight," she told the three who looked at little startled at that.

"Thank you Mother," Castle said, standing up after Beckett had. He let her lead the way into Alexis' bathroom, and waited until Julia was in the water to join his fiancée next to the tub.

A little more awake then, Julia let her mother wash her hair before she said, "Can I play first?"

"After," Beckett said simply. She kissed the little girl's forehead before washing her body quickly, and finishing with letting Julia wash her face herself. "Alright, you can play now, but quickly, because you need to be awake for the ceremony tomorrow."

"Can I play with crayons please? And you both play with me?" Julia asked shyly as Castle went to the cabinet where her bath toys were stored.

"Play what? I hope it's not to draw, because I am not that good," Castle said, handing her the blue bath crayon in the set. "Though stick figures I can make pretty well."

"No, can we play tic-tac-toe with three people?" Julia asked, looking at her mother.

"We could play hangman," Castle said when Beckett had shaken her head.

"What's that," Julia asked interestedly.

"It's a good thing the crayons wash off," Beckett said as Castle leaned over and marked out seven spaces. "You need to guess the letters there are in the word. And if you guess wrong…"

"I draw a part of a horse and a dog, so you've got twelve chances. If you can't guess the word though, then you lose," Castle said. "We'll have to start over."

"Let's play that, but do you play too or just me?" Julia asked.

"We'll take one turn each, any longer in the water you're going to be wrinkled into tomorrow when you graduate," Beckett said.

"Kay, um, is there a e?" Julia asked. She clapped when Castle wrote down the letter and then guessed a t. After guessing the letter a, she said quickly, "Is it Beatles?"

"It is," Castle said, smiling as his fiancée was looking down at the crayon in her hand, obviously trying not to laugh at his choice. "Okay, I think it's time for your mom to go."

"You pick a word," Julia said quickly.

Thinking for a moment, Castle finally nodded and wrote down a word before saying, "It's a place."

"Thanks for giving me that hint at least," Beckett said. "Alright, t first."

Julia looked on as her mother was just able to guess the word before running out of tries, and asked, "What's Sa… what it says?"

"Salamanca," Beckett said, taking the crayon Castle was holding after Julia had cleaned off the wall. "It's a city in Spain."

"Has your dad been there?" Castled asked, looking on as she marked the spaces of the words she had chosen. When his fiancée nodded he then asked, "Can I get a hint?"

"No, you're on your own," Beckett said.

"Alright, then s," Castle said.

Julia, wondering what the words were, watched in surprise as Castle ran out of turns and she said, "What did you pick Mommy?"

Beckett smiled and then wrote out _C Moon_ , and laughed when Castle groaned in frustration. "I thought that would get you."

"It wouldn't have if you'd given me a hint," Castle said, pretending to be angry as he cleaned off the wall and got out of the way so she could get their daughter out of the water.

"You don't get any," Beckett said. "You're the writer."

"That's still a hard thing to guess," Julia said as her mother dried her off.

"I know, but next time he might guess," Beckett said simply. She dressed Julia in her pajamas and after helping her brush her teeth they went out into the bedroom where Martha was waiting.

"Quickly," she said as Julia hurried to her. "You're late already and you have a big day tomorrow."

"Goodnight," Julia said, wrapping her arms around Martha. "Will you come to school with us?"

"I'll see, but I will be at the graduation, you can be sure of that. Goodnight Julia," Martha assured her. "I'll be downstairs," she said to Beckett and Castle before leaving the room.

"Into bed," Castle commented as he picked Julia up and set her under the covers. He leaned down and shared a kiss with her as he was pulling the covers over her and said, "Don't forget tomorrow night we're heading to that dance. And I'm taking you and your mom out after for a special dinner."

"That's too late," Beckett protested.

"It's her grad night," Castle countered. He laughed when she pushed his shoulder; but not hard enough to move him; and he went back to Julia, kissing her forehead. "Sweet dreams Julia, I love you," he told her seriously before stepping back to let his fiancée say goodnight to her.

"I can't wait for tomorrow night Mommy, even if it's gonna be past my bed time," Julia confessed as her mother pulled the covers up the rest of the way.

"I know, and I'm a little excited too," Beckett replied, smiling when Julia looked at her in surprise. "But until tomorrow, you need to sleep, can't fall asleep when you graduate." She leaned down and shared a kiss with the little girl before saying, "I love you Julia, sweet dreams."

"I love you too Mommy," Julia said, sitting up and hugging her mother tightly. Feeling safe in her mother's embrace, she pressed her cheek against Beckett's, kissing her cheek and smiling at Castle when he smiled at them

Beckett made sure Julia was settled after she was lying down and tucked in again before she followed Castle to the doorway, not surprised to see their daughter was asleep as soon as they turned. "Busy day," she said softly as they went down the stairs, grabbing his hand.

"Yeah, you know, I have to admit, when I heard the gun shot, I was scared out of my mind," Castle said.

"I know, I heard from Ryan that you took off at a run down the hall before anyone from SWAT got a chance to move," Beckett commented. "He said if you weren't so tall you'd have been a gazelle as fast as you were going."  
"I had to make sure," Castle said. "And they didn't mention that in the report did they?"

"No reason to," Beckett said with a shrug as he took her to the table by the window where they stood looking at each other. "I'm just glad you didn't throw yourself into the room without checking first."

"I had to be careful still," Castle said. He then pulled her into his embrace, his arms tight around her saying, "But you're alright."

"I am, so why don't we watch something, a comedy, to lighten the mood a little more now our little girl is in bed," Beckett said, brushing her lips across his. "And then take that bath together," she whispered before they closed the gap between them at the same time, and began to kiss each other deeply.

Castle dimly remembered in the back of his mind that his mother had mentioned something about being downstairs, but he was too involved in the kiss to focus his attention on that. But he heard her footsteps, and he pulled away hurriedly before they turned at the same time to see it was her. "So we're going to watch something funny Mother," he said as Martha started to walk to the kitchen. "And it's something I think you should watch with us."

"Are you sure?" Martha replied. "I wouldn't want to be the third wheel on movie night."

"It's not that long," Castle said quickly.

"And it's not really movie night either," Beckett said as she followed Castle to the kitchen, where he began to make coffee.

"Then I'd be delighted to see what you've chosen Richard," Martha said.

Castle didn't mention what he wanted to watch, only finished the coffee for the three of them before leading the way to his office. "Okay, so…" he began to say before trailing off when he saw Beckett was going to get his desk chair. Before she could, he reached out to her and pulled her to one of the armchairs, making her sit on his lap. "So you'll recognize who this is Mother," he said as Martha sat down in the other armchair.

Smiling as Beckett was looking at her son as he turned on the TV, Martha said, "I really wish you'd just tell us what we're watching."

" _Rowan Atkinson Live_?" Beckett asked, looking at the screen.

"It suggested it after we watched _Life of Brian_ the other night," Castle said. "I watched the beginning and thought of you Mother."

"I worked with him," Martha said quickly to Beckett's questioning glance. "I was on his show when I was in London one spring, but my scene was cut."

"Too bad, I'm sure it would have been a great scene and you could have told Julia you were on the Beeb," Beckett said. "Was it for _Mr. Bean_?"

"Another show," Martha said.

"I've seen a few episodes, what's he like?" Beckett asked.

"Very nice, and very, very funny. A dedicated actor as well, I admired him when I saw him work. Play the movie Richard, I'd like to see some of his comedy," Martha said.

Castle smiled at that and warned them saying, "It's a little crude."

"Stand up can be," Beckett said. She leaned back against him then, smiling at the first act, which was supposed to be a demon greeting new entrants to hell.

"Remember I said crude," Castle said when it finished.

"I'm enjoying this so far," Martha said, not surprised when Beckett echoed her.

The rest of the movie had the three laughing at different jokes, but the second to last act had Castle and Beckett glancing at his mother, since it featured the actor "lecturing" on Shakespeare and demonstrating different types of characters. They shared a relieved look at her laughter, and relaxed for the last act, the actor pretending to play a drum set with different instruments.

"Well, he's a good comedian, I have to say I enjoyed his acceptance speech for another actor's win greatly," Martha said when it was over and they were standing up. "I imagine that's exactly what would be going on in the actor's mind if they ever had to do that. I'll head to my room now; I'll see you in the morning. What time are you three leaving?"

"She doesn't need to go until ten," Beckett reminded her. "So we'll leave at nine-thirty."

"She might wake up before us," Castle warned his mother, going to them after he'd rinsed and put away the mugs.

"That's alright, I've taken care of her before when she's done that," Martha said. "Goodnight you two."

"Night Mother." "Night Martha," Castle and then Beckett said as she went upstairs.

Holding his hand out to his fiancée, Castle smiled when she did and wrapped his arm around her as she leaned against him instead. Kissing her temple he waited until they were inside his room with all the doors locked before he asked, "Still serious about that bath?"

Since they had stepped apart for him to lock the doors, Beckett grabbed his hand then, and took him to the bathroom where he closed that door. "What if I told you I wanted to take this bath by myself?" she asked when he went straight to her and started to unbutton the blouse she'd changed into after stopping at her place. She couldn't help smile as he faltered on a button, and whispered, making him look up at her, "I'm kidding."

"Good, because remember how we were talking about things developing?" Castle asked.

"You should have let me get your desk chair," Beckett said simply, knowing then that she hadn't been imagining his arousal as they'd been watching the movie.

"And I think I made a great decision, luckily the movie was distracting enough I wasn't pulling you in here before it was over," Castle said, straightening up and helping her slip the sleeves off her arms. He lingered behind the fabric though, running his hands over it slowly and feeling her shiver in response. Leaning down, he closed the gap between them and kissed her, gently at first to get her to respond to him. When she parted her lips a second later to his seeking tongue, he held her by the small of her back, shuddering at the feel of her bare skin.

Beckett was a little unsure of how long exactly they were pressed together, their tongues slightly dueling one another in her mouth, but when they parted, she wasn't at all shocked when they became a little frantic to get their clothes off. She put her hair up into a makeshift bun after undoing the ponytail her hair had been in that day as he filled the tub, and said, "So things worked out nicely," as he got in first.

"Not develop?" Castle asked, smirking slightly as he saw where she was staring.

"I think you're past the development stage, way past it," Beckett said before she got into the water. She had to smile when Castle grabbed her, making her sit in front of him before they both leaned back. "Hmm, haven't done this for a while," she commented as she stayed like that for some time, the only sound was the water when they would move slightly.

"We've gotten pretty busy," Castle said. "Work, school for Julia and then all of us getting sick."

"I have to wonder how things will go now that she'll be at day camp," Beckett said.

"Well, I can pick her up now if you need me to," Castle told her.

Sitting up and turning around, Beckett said, "Does that mean you're going to write more? I'm pretty sure you're behind on your book though you won't tell me for sure."

"Slightly behind," Castle said, reaching up to her and sliding his hand around her waist before rubbing it back and forth on her damp skin. "You can't rush me."

"Unless it's the last minute," Beckett teased him. She cried out shortly when he suddenly pulled her against him, wrapping her arms around him. Their kiss was very gentle and careful, and she sighed, pulling away from him when she needed to breathe. "I love you," she said before opening her eyes to look at him.

"I love you too," Castle said before he ran his hands up her back and remembered something. "Here," he told her, making her sit up and turn around to look away from him. He got on his knees as well and said, "Where?"

"My shoulders, but it's not as bad this time," Beckett said. "Really."

"Still," Castle said simply before he went to her right shoulder first. Massaging her skin, he felt an odd mixture of arousal and concentration, as he could feel her tension in her muscles. But he ignored his desire, and instead focused on getting her relaxed which didn't take as long as he thought it would. "So the punching bag made it out of your fight in one piece it looks like," he commented when he'd finished by running water over her skin and gently rubbing his fingertips in circles on her skin.

"It did, but everyone who walked in while I was busy with that did the same thing again," Beckett said, turning around to him.

"Avoided you?" Castle asked. When his fiancée nodded he said, "I feel like one time I should go in and hold the bag for you, see what anyone would say."

"It's likely they'd feel sorry for you," Beckett said, shaking her head as she smiled. She wasn't too surprised when, as she was talking, Castle sat up and reached around her, undoing her hair so it fell around her damp shoulders.

"They wouldn't see how you'd make it up to me though," Castle said.

"And what makes you think I would," Beckett asked simply as he was taking her and turning her around so she was against the back of the tub.

"Because I'd make it so you want to," Castle said, his voice a little deeper without him realizing it as he narrowed the gap between them.

"Like you are right now?" Beckett breathed out as she could feel him, still very much eager for her, against her thigh. He didn't answer, and she didn't really care, as she took his kiss enthusiastically, throwing her arms around him as he reached for her legs to part them, finding they already were.

Castle moved slightly, and finally he was sliding into her, the kiss disintegrating with each inch he entered her. He watched her tilt her head back and moan in pleasure, and he couldn't resist, biting at her neck briefly, feeling the beating pulse under her skin going crazy. He kissed her briefly, only letting his lips brush across hers, and he proceeded to move, lowering his head at the same time.

Gasping out slightly as he was moving very slowly inside her, Beckett had her eyes closed tightly, so she couldn't see what he was doing. But she felt easily when he descended to her breasts, his right hand coming out of the water to let his thumb roll around her nipple, getting it wet. Opening her eyes; forcing them open; she looked on as he brought his mouth to it, tongue lolling out as he stared up at her, to take the water off her skin. But he left it just as damp as it had been before that, and when he carefully blew across her flesh, she shook hard; nearly breaking their rhythm they'd gotten to together. "Castle…" she begged him.

Shaking his head, he moved up to kiss her, not surprised when Beckett made it deep, her fingers sliding over his scalp on the back of his head. Castle moved away, gasping for air and feeling his groin throb pleasantly as that kiss affected him greatly, it being so much more intense than how they were moving. He forced himself; not too hard to do; down to her breasts again, and that time he didn't tease her as long as he had before. He didn't think he really could, as he was literally hungry for them. He took a brief moment to kiss around her right nipple, not surprised that when he took it with his lips it had stiffened with her arousal.

Watching as Castle began to suckle at her, Beckett was trying to take in his measured, careful pace as it joined the movement of their bodies. They were still going slowly together, and she felt the pleasure in that joining the pleasure of his mouth. She started to breathe a little harder, biting at her lower lip as he moved to her left breast and proceeded to do the same to it. She ran her hand over his head, and let her moan she'd been holding in go. When he glanced up at her, she felt a little startled at how dark his blue eyes had become. She suddenly couldn't fight her urge, and she pulled him up to her so they could kiss. That time they contrasted against their bodies, heads tilting back and forth as they tried to win the duel between their tongues, neither of them caring there was no real winner. When he pulled away from her, she kept him close to her lips as she whispered, "This is what you want?"

Immediately knowing she was asking to make sure he wasn't being so careful just to please her, Castle went to her ear, lightly biting at the lobe. As he began to nibble at it, he changed the angle of his hips and had to stop, a stuttering groan leaving his lips. "You… know this is what I want love, just you," he whispered into her ear before sliding his lips down her skin from right below it to her neck. He resisted the urge to bite at it, and instead went to her shoulder. There he indulged himself in nibbling the junction of it and her collarbone, feeling her moans getting progressively louder, and he had to wonder at how one simple word could start that. He didn't try to explain it, just let it happen, reminding himself to call her love a lot more when they were rougher. For the moment; as he was moving back down to her breasts; he wanted to take things more simply, and just feel how they were together, wanting her to feel the same as well.

Though she wasn't really aware of what Castle was thinking, Beckett seemed to sense what he was trying to do, and she slid her legs up higher around him. Being in the bathtub, she couldn't really position herself as she would if they'd been on the bed, but she did the best she could. She breathed out a little hard as his next thrust into her felt deeper to her, and his groan against her left breast seemed to confirm that. When he raised his head she drew him to her lips, teasing him with them before drawing back. He immediately came forward to her, and she took the chance to take his lower lip with her teeth. She could feel his breath against her lips as she nibbled lightly at him, letting him go expecting to share a kiss with him. But instead, he was returning the favor, and at the same time she could feel his hand underneath her, pushing up on the small of her back to force her hips up at a slight angle.

Feeling Beckett's fingers dig into his back as he seemed to sink deeply inside her, Castle breathed out, pulling away from her mouth. He went back to her quickly though, and almost crushed her lips with his own. They sped up a little then, with him following her as she seemed to undulate above his hand that was helping to hold her in place. He was lucky he'd remained on his knees, knowing if he hadn't, he'd be slipping against the smooth surface of the tub. But since he didn't need both hands for support, he took advantage of the fact, and reached in between them, ending their kiss so he could be sure she was watching.

Closing her eyes tightly as she felt Castle's fingertips against her clit, Beckett was a little surprised when he didn't move them, only touched her. She was going to move her hips enough to try and see if she could spur him on, when he was whispering hoarsely into her ear, "Open your eyes Kate." She didn't really have much time to react to that, and her eyes opened quickly to his staring straight into hers.

"Watch me," Castle told her huskily before he was reaching back down, rubbing her clit again. He knew she couldn't really see that well, but she could see his hand moving, and he used his first two fingers to move around and around her, grunting slightly as she was thrusting in time with the passes of his digits. He slowed down, and was relieved when she did as well. He moved his hand then to join the other under her, tilting her hips a little more. He became dizzy then as he moved inside of her, his body literally burning from what she was making him feel. He was getting deep inside of her, and he felt her around him, tightening as he sank into her for the briefest second, and then as he moved back she was relaxing, but it was a little hard to tell at the same time. He leaned down and kissed her then, pleased when she cupped his cheeks.

With their tongues meeting and falling away before rubbing against each other again, Beckett breathed out heavily when they parted a bit later. She was feeling things getting stronger, the pleasure was rising in her body though there was nothing but Castle thrusting in her, steadily as he'd been since he first started making love to her. She looked on as he suddenly moved his hips in such a way that he was brushing directly against her clit, and that was all she had needed. Breaking completely, her back stiffened before it curved into an arc, and she was crying out his name, hearing it reverberate back to her in an echo even as her ears were roaring with the ecstasy she was feeling.

A little unsure if he was close behind her, or it took him a little more time than usual, Castle found he didn't care, his orgasm almost knocking him into thrusting harder and faster. But he just barely found the strength to resist that, and he moved carefully, slowly as he was groaning her name, holding her as close as he could to him by her hips. He panted a little when they finally slowed down, and moved away from her enough to help her sit up. He wasn't surprised when she threw her arms around him, feeling the water she'd brought with her cascading down her body in warm trails over their skin as he held her close while they kissed. When they had parted he nuzzled her lips with his and whispered, "I adore you, love."

"Hmm, I love you Rick," Beckett said with a smile before she closed the gap between them for another kiss. That went on for a little longer since they had more of their breath back, and when they finally parted she sighed saying, "Thank you."

"For that?" Castle asked. When she nodded he couldn't help smile saying, "I aim to please, but you know that was as much for me as you."

"Which is why we're that good together," Beckett said simply before they kissed again.

That was a shorter, yet still deep kiss, but as they were doing that, Castle ran his hand down the back of Beckett's hair and realized the ends were soaking wet. "I got your hair wet," he began apologetically in a whisper. "Sorry."

"No, actually, I think it needs to be washed," Beckett said simply. She couldn't help smile at his eagerness at that and said, "You've got a fetish, I don't care if you might deny it, but you do."

"It's not a sexual fetish," Castle said, grabbing the shampoo she kept there. "It arouses me, but doesn't get me off," he continued absently as he rinsed her hair meticulously.

"We could try though," both he and Beckett said at the same time before they stopped and she turned to look at him.

"I was joking," Castle said hurriedly before he made her turn around.

"Me too," Beckett said, breathing out a sigh of relief. She was quiet then as he washed her hair, and felt a little drowsy by the time he rinsed her hair for the last time. She wasn't too surprised when he helped her out, nor when he immediately began drying her off. She had to smile at that, since she knew it was partially because he was trying to be thoughtful, but also because he could touch her intimately; his hands always going after her towel to "check" to make sure she was fully dry. That night though, she decided she wanted to do the same thing, and turning around she pulled his towel from his hands, starting to dry him off.

"Ah, Kate," Castle hissed when she fondled him through the towel.

"You need to be dry," Beckett said in a matter of fact tone of voice. "And I should check-" she started to say, her fingers just starting to curl around the tip of him before he grabbed her wrist.

"Not tonight, maybe tomorrow if we're up to it," Castle said carefully.

"You're tired?" Beckett asked as he took the towel from her since she was finished.

"Slightly, I know you are though, I thought you were going to fall asleep while I was washing your hair. Thanks for letting me do that by the way," Castle commented as he went to his medicine cabinet to get her cream.

Nodding when he held the tube up to her, Beckett waited for him to start rubbing the slightly minty smelling cream into her muscles, grunting slightly at the force he used. She wasn't sure how he could figure out how much she needed, but he always seemed to know. When he had stopped, she went out to the bedroom, knowing that he was trying to keep his eye on her before she rounded the corner and was in the room. Even after nearly two years with him, she couldn't help the thrill knowing his gaze was on her naked body. She picked her pajamas without thinking, so it was a little shock to feel the silk of her sky blue nightgown slipping over her skin and she turned to Castle who was walking out. She bit her lower lip at his pause, but she didn't say anything, and neither did he, until he was dressed in his pajamas and was embracing her closely as their lips met in a slow, sensuous kiss.

After they had parted, Castle followed his fiancée to the bed, slipping under the covers after he'd taken care of his light. When she was lying on his arm with their hands entwined he started to speak, but then hesitated before saying, "Is it my imagination, or was Lanie at the station as I was leaving?"

"No, she was," Beckett said. "And you reminded me; I wanted to tell you what she said. Well, she apologized again, but she also let me know that she's done."

"Done? You better start from the beginning," Castle said quickly.

Smiling at the slight surprise in his voice, Beckett said, "We were in the break room and I began to speak but she cut me off, she was a little concerned still; I guess the texts I sent her weren't enough of a reassurance," as she recalled her friend's anxious tone earlier that afternoon.

* * *

_"I'm so sorry Kate," Lanie said, interrupting Beckett as she'd begun to talk about Julia's graduation the next day._

_"I know, and I told you I accepted your apology Lanie," Beckett assured her. "But I'm glad you're still talking about this, because it's something we need to talk about in better detail. Before this you've always hinted to me that I should go out on dates, or I should try and start something with Castle. But this was a little too much, why did you decide to do something underhanded like that?"_

_Lanie didn't reply at first, looking down into her mug of coffee before she finally took a slight breath and confessed, "I'm worried about you. About how Queens has affected you. I know, I know, you went to your therapist for that, but… are you traumatized by what happened to you?"_

_"I can't really say," Beckett replied. "I haven't been with a man for… a while."_

_"Josh?" Lanie asked. When her friend gave an infinitesimal nod, she said quickly, "And that doesn't make you a little lonely?" At a shake of Beckett's head she then said, "Or at the very least h-"_

_"Easy Lanie," Beckett said, smiling though as she knew the doctor was only joking. "I'm a mother now, can't really speak like that around me."_

_"Still, you're okay on your own?" Lanie said. When Beckett nodded she said, "Whatever you're doing you need to share with me."_

_"Not a chance," Beckett said, since while she and Lanie were good friends and would share a lot, they were a little mum on the details of their love lives or anything else dealing with sex as they didn't want to over share; wanting to keep that as private as they could. "But I'm fine with Queens; I can fantasize about a man-"_

_"Castle, right?" Lanie said simply. When she saw Beckett's slightly flushed cheeks she started to speak when her friend quickly interrupted her._

_"No, I-" Beckett began._

_"Not going to buy it," Lanie said. "I know you've been doing that for a while; you even said to me you were."_

_"That was only once," Beckett protested, looking at the doorways to make sure someone wasn't there to hear that._

_"It was more than once, don't try to deny it," Lanie said. "And really is it so wrong to fantasize about him? Though girl, honestly, for six years you've been doing that and it never occurred to you to try and start something?"_

* * *

"Six years?" Castle said suddenly, interrupting Beckett's story.

"I… yes, but it wasn't every time I was… fooling around with myself," she said, knowing he'd be able to tell she was blushing though the room was dark. "And you were fantasizing about me," she shot back. "By the way, don't tell me more of your fantasies."

"Don't worry, acting them out wouldn't work, you're much better than what I could come up with," Castle said. "But go ahead."

* * *

_"I just don't see the point," Beckett said. "But if I ever feel like Julia and I could be important, and he could love me enough to not just want to fool around with me, then maybe I would try. But Lanie, let me do that on my own time okay?"_

_"Okay, I swear I will," the doctor said, taking her friend's hand and squeezing it. "I just want you to be happy. And I want Julia to have a father; it scares me to think of something happening to her like what happened to Javi after his dad left."_

_"We have more support than he and his mom did luckily," Beckett said, understanding then why Esposito wanted Julia to have a dad too. "And also, she needs to be ready to have a dad, and I'll of course take her into consideration whenever I start to date again. No more trying to set me up okay?"_

_Nodding, Lanie stood up saying, "I should go, I have paperwork and I know you do too. Give me a call Monday and let me know how your dad's first Father's Day as a grandfather went."_

_"I will, and Lanie, thank you for trying to take care of me and Julia; trying to make sure we're happy," Beckett said as the doctor started to leave. When the woman turned to her at that she smiled and said, "You're a good friend, though a little enthusiastic with this attempt."_

_Smiling Lanie said, "It could have been an amazing night with him you know."_

_"Are you talking from experience?" Beckett teased her, since she could sense her friend wasn't entirely behind that little teasing sentence._

_"Oh no, I'm just guessing," Lanie said. "And you know, he might be with other women, but you should notice the way he looks at you. I get the feeling you could be it for him; as much as he's it for you." When she saw Beckett looking startled at that, she smiled saying, "Tell Julia her auntie said hi."_

_"I will, bye Lanie," Beckett said as her friend waved over her shoulder as she walked to the elevator._

* * *

"It makes sense," Castle said once Beckett had finished. "Why they want Julia to have a dad, and Lanie forgot to mention the fact Julia's never had a dad is another reason why she should have one. There's nothing wrong with her mother," he quickly said as he leaned over to kiss his fiancée on the lips. He lingered more than he'd meant, but finally pulled away saying, "Nothing wrong with a dad either."

"And you're being a great dad to her. I know you'll love her no matter what and be there for her. It's what I want her to have in a father," Beckett said soothingly, knowing he was thinking of his father and the similarity with Esposito's dad, though it was a lot worse since he hadn't even known the man or knew who he was. She turned onto her side and pressed close to her fiancé as he did the same saying, "And she's right you know. Remember how when we talked about your marriages the first time, that I told you I was a one and done kind of girl."

"Yeah, that was blaring through my mind when I bought your ring," Castle said, picking up her left hand and looking at her engagement ring that was just barely visible with the little light coming into the room with the storm still going on outside. "And why I was nervous proposing to you. I'd been married twice, I wasn't sure if that was going to make you decide you couldn't risk it."

"We'd known each other long enough and been together long enough too for me to know this was going to be it," Beckett said. "And that brings me what I noticed earlier, you hesitated before asking about Lanie. It's what Wilder asked me, about if I would follow you if you died or committed suicide." When she saw Castle nod his head slightly she took in a deep breath and said, "I would likely toy with the idea, but I couldn't because-"

"Julia," they said together.

"I wouldn't want you to," Castle said in a rush. "You need to be here to raise her, she needs her mother."

"She needs her father, so if anything happened to me-" Beckett started to say.

"But it won't, we'll be okay, we've got each other to watch the other's back," Castle interrupted her.

"I know," Beckett said, letting the subject drop easily since it hurt to think about that idea; since it brought up her past. She looked into Castle's eyes then; what she could see of them; and was going to speak when he did so first.

"Kate, don't hate me for saying this, but… your dad tried didn't he?" Castle whispered gently, holding her tightly. He was surprised when she took a shuddering breath in and he hugged her as tightly as he could. "You don't need to say," he told her.

Shaking her head, Beckett said, "I was just thinking about that. And he considered it, seriously considered it. I came into their apartment one day, and found him sitting at the kitchen table, a bottle of sleeping pills he had a prescription for after he suffered from insomnia after my mother was killed there in front of him. I talked to him then, tried to be calm but inside I was panicking, I didn't want to become an orphan though I could only imagine how much it hurt him to wake up, to go through each day and close his eyes to sleep knowing my mom wasn't there with him. But I told him I needed him, he was all I had left and I was being selfish, but I was only nineteen years old. I wanted him there when I got married… when…" She trailed off, the pain from that remembered conversation she'd managed to forget too hard to speak about.

"It's okay, I understand," Castle said soothingly, stroking her hair. "So he didn't."

"I was lucky, but then he kept on drinking… and watching him and just managing to keep him from killing himself slowly and so deliberately in his pain I couldn't let that happen to me," Beckett said softly.

"So that's the other part of the wall you said you built around you," Castle said. He saw her nod in response, and he leaned down, kissing her tenderly. When they parted he pressed his forehead to hers saying, "I love you Kate, and believe me when I say I will do whatever I need to to keep from leaving you and Julia. And my mother and Alexis. I can't forget what I have. Just promise me you'll remember what you have too."

"I do, I remember all the time, you know that," Beckett said, their breath mingling between them as they were pressed so close to each other from head to toe. "And I know that you do too. And I love you too Rick." She smiled when he hugged her a little tightly before they kissed deeply.

When they had parted, Castle held her to him as he lay on his back, and rubbed her shoulder carefully as they were quiet, watching the shadows of the rain chase each other along the opposite wall of the room. He felt her relax in his arms, and turned his head, kissing her forehead gently.

Taking comfort in that kiss, Beckett's attention drew itself from the past, to the future, to the next day and to her daughter. She found comfort thinking of Julia; of hers and Castle's daughter as she reminded herself; and she was soon asleep as her fiancé nodded off nearly at the same time. As she did so, she was thinking of the fact that they would be there to see her graduate and to celebrate with her another step in growing up, celebrating subconsciously that they were raising their daughter together.


	14. When The Class Has Gone Away

Padding around the bed, Julia looked up at her mother and Castle who were still fast asleep and she pursed her lips together for a moment, debating if she should wake them up, before she suddenly saw Beckett's eyes were blinking open. She was nearly going to turn and run out of the room, when her mother spoke.

"Hey sweetie, good morning," Beckett said with a slight smile as Julia put her Stitch doll in front of her mouth. "Are you excited?" She wasn't surprised when the little girl shook her head no and asked, "Nervous?" At her nod she said, "Then come here."

"Should get some more sleep," Castle mumbled from behind Beckett then, pressing his forehead to the back of her shoulder.

"I don't think that's going to happen," Beckett replied, helping their daughter up the rest of the way on the bed. She shared a kiss with Julia before she felt Castle sitting up. She did the same, not surprised when Julia immediately snuggled close to her, sticking her thumb into her mouth. "Sweetie," she said gently, moving her hand.

"You're only going into first grade," Castle said. "Believe me; you still have another eleven years to go before you graduate from high school."

"Is that a lot?" Julia queried, looking up at him.

"It's the number after ten," Beckett told her.

"Oh yeah," Julia breathed. "That is a lot. But what if I'm not smart in first grade?"

"I don't think you need to worry," Castle said, chuckling. "You're pretty bright for your age."

"He's right," Beckett said when Julia looked at her. "I have no doubt you'll do great in school. You just need to go."

"I won't play hooky," Julia said.

"What? It's not like it's a bad word," Castle said defensively when Beckett gave him a look. "And she heard an older kid saying that one day, asked me what it meant. I couldn't lie to her of course."

Sighing, Beckett said, "I know you won't sweetie, and don't worry, you're still our little girl even though you're going to be a first grader."

"Am I still your little one?" Julia nearly whispered.

"Yes," Beckett said immediately and firmly. She leaned down and kissed her forehead before she whispered something to her.

Looking on, Castle wondered what she'd said, when Julia stood up in between them and hugged him tightly. "Morning Julia," he said with a smile before sharing a kiss with her. "Now," he said, scooping her up in his arms. "We can get break-"

"Wait!" Julia cried before he could move. "You didn't kiss Mommy good morning," she said shyly.

"She's right, you didn't," Beckett said simply, looking at him from the corner of her eye.

"Then you'll excuse me for a second sweetheart…" Castle started to say, trailing off as he leaned over to meet Beckett for a kiss. It lingered; neither of them wanting to end it; but he kept it simple, knowing Julia wasn't watching as she had her face buried into his chest. When they parted, he brushed his lips across her delicately, feeling her immediate shiver at his care, and he moved back fully. "Okay, so what I was going to say was we should have breakfast, and I was planning on making a special one for you."

"What is it?" Julia asked as Castle grabbed his robe after standing with her in his arms.

"That's a surprise," he told her simply, waiting for Beckett to get her robe. With her following he went out to the kitchen, waiting for his fiancée to sit at one of the chairs at the counter. Handing her their daughter, he couldn't resist, kissing her again, though that one was much faster than the one before. He ruffled Julia's hair when he saw she was watching, and went around to begin cooking as they watched him.

"Do we need to set the table?" Julia asked her mother as he began cutting up strawberries once he had a stack of pancakes on a plate.

"We can eat right here," Beckett said. "Though if your mom comes down…"

"I can eat standing up," Castle said simply.

"Can I stay here?" Julia asked, looking on as Castle made a face using the berries he had on the top pancake. She smiled when he handed her the plate and said, "It's too cute to eat."

"Let me take a picture…" Beckett began before trailing off when she saw she had a text message from Ryan. She quickly took a picture of the food, and then looked at the message.

"A case?" Castle asked as he handed her a plate then.

"Yeah," Beckett said, looking at it and shaking her head with a smile as there was a happy face made with raspberries and strawberries on it. She took a picture at Julia's request and then told him, "They just caught a case and Lanie's with them; Perlmutter's on another case. So it looks like they can't go."

"But you'll take pictures right?" Julia asked after she begged her mother to take a picture of Castle's plate though he'd just thrown some berries haphazardly on his pancakes.

"I will, I guess I'm preparing myself right now," Beckett said as they started to eat. She was a little surprised to hear Castle's phone ringing, and she watched as he read a text on it. "Ryan?" she finally asked.

"And Espo, they want me to be there to 'represent' them," he answered. "So your uncles did want to go," he said to Julia as Beckett got another text. "You're a popular girl sweetheart."

"Lanie's asking for pictures too," Beckett said with a smile. "Keep eating," she told Julia who was looking at the message. "And she wants to have dinner somewhere so we can all get together and celebrate."

"Who?" Julia asked.

"The three of us, Lanie, your uncles and your Aunt Jenny," Beckett replied. "He's right, you are popular. But you also need to finish breakfast so we're not late," she said gently, cutting a piece of the pancakes and feeding it to her daughter.

Julia continued eating then, as Castle and Beckett discussed the Fourth of July, and she finished eating a blueberry before asking, "Can Mari come over with her mommy and daddy?"

"They are, I invited them to lunch and dinner," Castle said. "So it'll be with us, my mother and your dad, but need to see about their son."

"What about Alexis?" Julia asked in confusion.

"When I said us I meant the four of us," Castle said, not surprised at the look of realization on Julia's face at that. "Okay, so I think we should get going… good morning Mother," he said as he got off his chair and took the three empty plates.

"Good morning, how is the graduate this morning?" Martha asked, going over to Beckett and picking up Julia. "You're not even dressed yet," she said teasingly since she was already.

"We're taking it easy this morning," Beckett said.

"Someone's a little nervous," Castle said as he put down a plate on the other side of the counter.

"Oh kiddo, you have nothing to be nervous about," Martha said, kissing Julia's temple before handing her to Beckett. "Just think, after your graduation, you have summer off from school."

"And I have camp again," Julia said excitedly.

"There's that too," Martha said, cupping the little girl's chin and squeezing it gently.

"Can I still go to classes after you pick me up?" Julia asked her.

"We were hoping you'd let Castle pick you up once in a while," Beckett said.

Julia looked a little troubled before she said, "But you'll work with Mommy right?"

Hesitating on that, since he wasn't sure how to answer it, Castle finally said, "Most likely," shaking his head at his mother, as they hadn't been sure how to tell Julia what was going on with the election.

"Then you can take turns, and I can go to classes with you still," Julia said to Martha in eagerness.

"That's a wonderful idea," she said with a smile. "Go and get ready, you need to get to school."

"Are you coming with us?" Castle asked as he finished the dishes and cups.

"I think I'll meet you there, you'll have an hour to spare until the ceremony starts," Martha commented. "By the way, what are you and Kate going to be doing until you need to go back to the school?"

"There are some shops around there," Castle said simply. "We'll probably head there; have some coffee since we didn't have any right now."

"You planned this ahead of time didn't you?" Martha said as her son went to his bedroom. "Does she know?"

"Know what?" Julia asked, coming down the stairs in her jumper, Beckett behind her.

"You need to wear your uniform?" Martha asked.

"She does, but we're taking a change of clothes for after," Beckett said. "Can you watch her?"

"I can, go and get ready, and if you're wondering what I was talking about when you came downstairs, ask your fiancé," Martha said as she watched Julia go over to Castle's office.

"I was thinking," Castle said the second he saw Beckett enter his room. "Of going to the bookshop by her school, and the café after."

"I'm going to assume that's why you didn't make coffee," Beckett said simply before she began to get dressed.

"Pretty much," Castle said, pausing in heading to the bathroom to brush his hair as he watched her. When she had finished buttoning her blue and grey patterned blouse, he couldn't help himself, going to her and saying, "Was hoping you'd be in a dress."

"Of course, but you know, we should focus on our daughter today Castle," Beckett commented, smiling as she looked at him in the mirror above the dresser as his arms wrapped around her from behind. "I'd like us to give her attention and get her mind off that nervousness she's been feeling. And to do that, you can't be ogling me."

"Right," Castle said. "But tonight…"

"You'll see. Go, we're going to be late," Beckett told him before she pulled him by the arm to the bathroom.

Castle didn't say anything else, but followed suit in finishing with his hair before he left. But before that, he leaned over and kissed her gently at first before they suddenly deepened it at the same time. He kept from turning enough to take her in his arms, not surprised she did the same, as he was able to pull away more easily; though it didn't make him any happier to do it. "I'll be with Julia," he said simply before he went out to the living room, seeing Julia was standing at the windows. "Okay sweetheart?" he asked once he'd reached her.

"Yeah," the little girl said. "I was looking 'cause I wanted to see if it was gonna rain again."

"Looks pretty good," Castle said, kissing her cheek gently as he picked her up. "And lucky for you, you're going to be inside."

"Yeah," Julia said. She saw her mother come out of the bedroom then and waved saying, "You look pretty Mommy."

"Thank you, but say goodbye to Martha," Beckett said as she went to the closet to get Julia's backpack where her cap and gown and clothes were stored. "We're going."

Going to join his fiancée, Castle looked on as Julia hugged Martha tightly and his mother promised she would be there at the school on time. "Give me a call when you're there," he told her. "And I'll let you know where we're sitting."

"If I don't get there before you do," Martha said simply in reply before going upstairs, calling a, "See you at the school," to the three of them.

Since all they really needed to take was Julia's backpack, the three were out of the loft and the building, heading in a cab. Castle waited outside the gates as Beckett took their daughter to her classroom, where she wasn't surprised to see a lot of uneasy students with their parents reassuring them.

Seeing his fiancée coming out from the school, Castle asked when she was near, "She's nervous still isn't she?"

"Actually, compared to some of the kids in the classroom, she's not doing that badly," Beckett replied. "Though she heard a boy asking his dad what he should do if he got too scared to walk and get his diploma, and she asked me the same thing."

"She'll be alright," Castle said as they crossed the street together.

"At least you never told her about your graduation," Beckett teased him.

"She'd be horrified," Castle said quickly. "And not sure… oh, you meant my sixth grade graduation. Yeah, that probably wouldn't help at all."

"Yeah, I don't see how she would be helped knowing you were naked under your robes," Beckett said.

"What about you?" Castle asked.

Shrugging Beckett said, "I didn't really have a problem with it. I was always of the mindset of wanting to grow up."

"And leave your parents?" Castle pointed out.

"That part I didn't like. But you know, you grow up and you realize you're going to need to make your own life," Beckett replied. "But that's much later."

"It better be, don't want Julia to want to leave us," Castle said when they reached the bookstore. He opened the door for her and they went inside, splitting up to look through the shelves. He found himself going to the kids books and he was a little surprised when Beckett joined him a moment later.

"I looked through the fiction section first," she replied with a smile. "She needs something new to read, so looks like we had the same idea."

"We did. I was thinking either _The Wonderful Wizard of Oz_ ; if she likes it we can go with the rest of the series. Or _Charlie and the Chocolate Factory_ ," Castle told her, holding both books up.

"This one," Beckett said. "And if she likes Dahl we can get his other books."

"Let's take this one too, just in case," Castle said, holding on to _The Wonderful Wizard of Oz_ book as well as the other.

"You're going to spoil her," Beckett said in a slightly sing-song voice.

"Never can spoil a child with books," Castle scoffed. "But you know, if you're thinking this will spoil her, we can get the Dahl books and the rest of the _Wizard of Oz_ books from the library."

"Better plan," Beckett said before she led the way to the fiction section where they looked through the shelves.

They weren't looking at the books together, but every once in a while they would discuss something they'd chosen before leaving with three books of their own as well as Julia's. They walked back towards the school then, and to the café, trying to resist taking each other's hand, though it was difficult.

* * *

"Looks like you beat us," Castle said to his mother as he sat next to her at the Mt. Surrey auditorium.

"Jim and I were coming in at the same time, we decided to go ahead and get the seats," Martha said. "How was she?"

"Good, anxious," Beckett said.

"Who's going to help her with her cap and gown?" Jim asked, sitting on the other side of his daughter.

"They have some mothers of kids in the class helping out," Beckett answered. "When are you going to Skype with Alexis?"

"She wants me to start as soon as they begin announcing the names, since Julia's going to be in the beginning," Castle commented. He wanted to say something, but heard a familiar voice down the row a little.

"Anita, George, great to see you," Beckett said, getting up and going to the couple at that greeting. "Is she-"

"Scared, anxious, yet again. But she did sleep pretty well last night," Anita interrupted. "So there's that at least. Julia too?" At Beckett's nod she said, "Alright if we join you here in the row?"

"Sit," Beckett said. "This is my dad, Jim Beckett, and you know Martha of course." She went back to sit between her dad and Castle and said, "What are your plans this summer; besides that trip to Japan."

"Nothing really, we have work and Celia does have day camp as well," Anita replied. "You?"

"Not sure, yet," Beckett said, glancing at Castle, since they honestly weren't sure what their summer was going to be like besides the same two things; work and day camp.

"Julia mentioned you'd be going to Japan, what will you be doing over there?" Castle asked, leaning over to look at the two.

Discussing the trip took some time; as Celia's parents were planning to go for a month; and Castle and Beckett only stopped talking about it with them when the lights dimmed and the principal of the elementary school stepped out on the stage. She explained that the classes would be announced in alphabetical order by the teacher's name, so Julia's class was first.

"Hey Dad," Alexis whispered on the phone as Castle had started up the Skype conversation as Mrs. Clayton had gone out on the stage; her students standing at the opposite end to go up the stairs there.

"Hey, Julia should be going pretty soon," Castle said as quietly as he could. He glanced at his fiancée, and then at the stage, seeing the first students go. When he saw her friend Johnny walk over to the teacher, he whispered, "She's next," seeing Beckett getting her camera ready; his mother and her dad doing the same.

Waiting at the end of the stage, Julia heard her teacher announce, "Julia Beckett," and she walked across to where Mrs. Clayton was standing behind a podium. She blushed and looked out to the audience when she heard a loud whistle; knowing it was Castle; and gave a tiny wave though she couldn't see where her family was sitting. She took the diploma that her teacher handed her, her face solemn as she shook Mrs. Clayton's hand.

"Did you see?" Castle asked in a whisper.

"Yeah, thanks Dad, I'll call later," Alexis replied. "Tell her she looks so sweet in her little cap and gown and that I love her."

"I will," Castle said, looking at Beckett who smiled at him. "So now we wait," he whispered into his fiancée's ear.

"Now we wait," she replied, reaching down and taking his hand, their fingers entwining as they took advantage of the darkness of the auditorium to do what they'd been unable to before.

* * *

Standing outside the elementary school building, Castle and Beckett were with their parents, waiting for the classes to return from the auditorium. They were standing in a group; Celia's parents talking with other parents they knew.

"So did they get the pictures?" Martha asked Beckett.

"They did, Lanie's at lunch right now, she said she felt terrible about not coming," Beckett said. "But I just told her to have that dinner."

"Here they are," Castle said, having watched for Mrs. Clayton and her students. He wasn't sure where the other classes were going, but it was just Julia's class, and he soon saw her.

"Don't run everybody," the teacher was saying as some students waved to their parents. "And remember to bring your families to the room if they want drinks and cookies."

Splitting up with Celia, Julia hurried as fast as she could without running to her mother. She couldn't help it, and ran the last few steps before Beckett was picking her up, hugging her tightly. "Did you see me Mommy?" she asked when she pulled away enough to look at her.

"I did, and you didn't have to be nervous at all," Beckett assured her. She took the small bouquet of flowers that Castle was handing to her and said, "This is from us."

"Thank you," Julia said, her cheeks becoming pink as she took the daffodils. "They're pretty. Did you whistle when I got my diploma?" she asked as she went to Castle then.

"Of course, I knew you wouldn't be able to see us, so had to make sure you knew we were there," he replied, kissing her cheek, not caring if anyone saw him doing that. "And Alexis was watching too, and she said you looked very cute and that she loves you."

"Oh, are we going to talk to her tonight?" Julia said anxiously.

"We will, after the show," Beckett said as the little girl was then handed over to her father. She smiled as her dad kissed his granddaughter, murmuring something to her to her nod.

"Thank you Grandpapa, I'm happy you were here too," Julia said, still blushing as he'd told her that he was proud of her and glad that he'd been able to see her graduate.

"Come here kiddo, you did a wonderful job," Martha said, taking her. "Walked across the stage like a _prima ballerina_ and you were very grownup getting your diploma." She kissed Julia's cheeks and said, "I'm just glad it'll be some time before you graduate again."

"Me too," Julia giggled, hugging her around the neck. "Mommy, Castle? Cookies?"

"One, and we'll have a drink," Beckett said.

"After this we're heading home since I'll make you your favorite for lunch," Castle said. "So you need to save room for that." As he'd been speaking they'd been heading for the building, and inside Julia's classroom he wasn't surprised to see it was almost full of parents and kids. He took the little girl to the table with punch and cookies, not surprised when Julia turned to her mother and asked to split it with her. He noticed Mrs. Clayton coming over, and he said, "Julia, do you have the present?"

Jumping at the reminder, the little girl hurried to her backpack, and took out a wrapped box. "This is for you Mrs. Clayton, 'cause you're the best teacher," she said in a rush, handing it to her.

"Thank you so much, Julia, that's so sweet," the teacher replied with a smile before opening the box.

"That's from Spain," Julia said quickly. "It's to wear around your arms. My grandpapa brought it."

"I… thank you, and to you Mr. Beckett," Mrs. Clayton said in surprise when she pulled out the black embroidered fabric. "I will enjoy wearing this when I go out." She then smiled at Beckett and said, "I was just going to tell you your daughter is a wonderful student, and I will miss her."

"She'll miss you," Beckett said, smiling in return. "You've been a great teacher to her."

"Have a wonderful summer Julia and I hope you enjoy the first grade," Mrs. Clayton said before she said goodbye to everyone and went to parents standing with their son near them.

Remembering that she wanted to get Julia's picture with as many people as possible, Beckett had her get Celia and bring her over to take her picture before getting Mrs. Clayton. She then had Castle, Martha and her dad all take pictures with Julia who was holding her diploma up in each one and the daffodils cradled in one arm. Castle then took her camera, and she took a picture with her daughter before kissing her temple, not surprised when her fiancé took a picture of that as well.

"Can we go?" Julia asked, looking up at her mother and Castle.

"Say goodbye to Celia, but remember you've got camp with her too," Beckett said. Watching her go she turned to her dad and Castle's mother saying, "You're sure you two don't want to come with us tonight?"

"We're sure," Martha said. "Between this and the show tonight, we wanted to come see this more."

"Plus," Jim said. "You three should have a night out; as a family."

Smiling at that, Castle squeezed Beckett's arm gently before letting go, watching as Julia skipped up to them and took their hands. Leaving the classroom, they walked ahead of their parents, swinging their daughter in between them to her happy squeals that echoed through the hallway.

* * *

Looking over to the side as Castle walked into the room, Beckett couldn't help smiling as he glanced at her up and down once. "I told you I'd dress up, is she ready? And are you ever going to stop reacting like that," she asked.

"Yes to the first question, and no to your second," Castle said, turning to Julia who was sitting on the couch with her tablet. "So, just out of curiosity, where are you keeping these dresses?"

"This is a recent purchase," Beckett said simply as she finished sweeping her hair up into a bun and tucked her mother's comb into the top of it. She went to the end of the bed, and was going to put on her shoes when Castle took the right one from her. "You know," she said as he took her foot, running his hand along it slowly to make it curve down. "She's right there."

"She can't see us," Castle said simply. "She could hear us, but can't really see us."

"And what exactly are you planning to do that she doesn't see?" Beckett asked as he pushed her other heel onto her foot.

"Nothing really," Castle replied with a shrug as she stood up. He hadn't moved; just stood up himself; so they were soon nearly face to face. He took advantage of the moment, and took her in his arms, leaning down and kissing her gently at first. He waited to get a reaction from her, and when she began to respond to the kiss enthusiastically, he deepened it. He was careful though, not doing enough to make it hard for them to part if they needed to, but he found himself unable to stop. They parted to breathe, but were soon back to each other's lips, and he gently caressed her tongue with his own before there was a sudden shout. Sharing a look with his fiancée as they abruptly parted, he took her hand and they hurried out to the living room.

"Sweetie, are you okay?" Beckett asked, seeing Julia was fine on the couch, looking at her tablet a little angrily though.

"Yeah, what's wrong?" Julia asked, looking up at them in confusion. She then set down her tablet and hurried to her mother, touching the pattern on her dress. "Is this the one you got by yourself?"

"It is," Beckett said with a smile. "Is it okay for me to wear?" She nearly laughed when her daughter told her in a serious tone of voice to turn around, and she did so, looking at Castle and seeing he was looking away from them.

When her mother had stopped, Julia smiled widely and nodded saying, "It's perfect Mommy, the pattern is pretty. And I like that the black gets big from the stripes."

"You can always do something with fashion," Castle commented then, having managed to calm down enough to turn back to them. "Though considering your mom was a model, it wouldn't surprise me."

"She was?" Julia asked in surprise.

"How did you know about that?" Beckett asked in shock. "Castle," she said then when he didn't answer, and instead went to the table, grabbing two things. "Rick, if-"

"I searched your name once on the internet, and there you were," Castle said quickly since he could tell she was getting annoyed. "Only a few pictures, but of course, since your mom," he directed that to Julia who looked stunned still. "Is very beautiful, they were nice, the clothes… I could have cared less."

Taking her clutch purse from him, Beckett said, "The clothes are also now pretty outdated," knowing her cheeks were flushed and cursing her ability to blush.

Shrugging Castle said, "The clothes didn't really matter, I just wonder why you didn't tell me about it."

"For a while I was expecting a comment," Beckett said, letting him help her put her black shawl over her shoulders. "I'm surprised you didn't say one now."

"She doesn't need to hear that," Castle said in a whisper as his lips were close to her ear. He smiled when she shivered slightly and watched as she went over to Julia to help her into her sweater. "Okay, so we're ready to go?"

"Yeah, I wanna go see the dances," Julia cried, spinning around and letting the skirt of her navy blue rose brocade dress bell out around her.

"Come on," Beckett said, taking Julia's hand after checking her clutch one last time. She took Castle's arm and they left, letting their daughter skip down the hall ahead of them, humming under her breath as they watched her.

* * *

Sitting in the theater where the show was being held, Castle turned around yet again in his seat, looking over his shoulder. He turned back and saw that his fiancée was looking at him closely. "What?" he asked defensively.

"That's the fifth time you've done that, who are you waiting for?" Beckett asked.

"I-" Castle began to say before Julia suddenly gasped on the other side of her and he turned behind them again.

"Celia!" Julia squealed happily as she saw her friend coming down the aisle with her parents.

Looking at her fiancé, Beckett smiled and got up to greet the three saying, "I'm guessing Castle invited you to join us?"

"Celia wouldn't leave us alone until we'd said yes," George said as they sat in the seats, the two girls standing in front of Julia's chair on the end of the aisle. "Apparently they've been reading a travel book of yours about Spain?"

"They have, we're going to use it when we can go," Castle said.

"She wants to go now," Anita said with a smile. "And she's begging us to go."

"Begging us so much I caved in and got the same travel book; with Celia's help; to see," George said. "Never thought too much about Spain, but I can see why she's so eager to go."

"I am too," Anita replied. "And your dad goes every year Julia said?"

"He does, since the late '70's," Beckett replied. "He'll go for a month or two; though this year he split his trip into two for…" she began before trailing off. Though Celia's parents knew about the wedding, she didn't want to say it out loud.

"No, I understand, but what if it's not until the end of August that he can go back?" Anita said.

"He'll go then, he saves his vacation for that specifically," Beckett said when the lights started to blink. "Julia," she said before Anita called to her daughter. She wasn't surprised when the two insisted on sitting together, so they moved over one chair, and she sat closest to the girls as the host for the show walked out on the stage, groups of people in costume on either side in the wings.

" _Bienvenidos a_ _todos ustedes_ , welcome to all of you to our show tonight," the man said, his accent thick. "We are here tonight to showcase to you the different folk dances of Spain. Each one is from a different province, but we only scratch the surface of Spanish dance. All the members of our troupe are from Spain, so we must thank our sponsors Mr. and Mrs. McCullough for allowing us to come here to New York to entertain you tonight." After the applause for the couple in one of the box seats, the man said, "We begin tonight with the _Sardana_ , from the Catalonia region."

The first group of people stepped out, men wearing white and women in red, and they joined hands in a circle before the first music began. The dancers lifted their right legs, putting their toes forward slightly and then began to dance in place, moving their feet in time to the music. The music changed and the dancers raised their clasped hands together before continuing with their footwork.

"Have you ever seen this?" Castle whispered as the dance continued in the same vein, the dancers going faster or slower depending on the music, the same with the rhythm of raising their hands or lowering them.

"My dad did," Beckett whispered. "In Barcelona." She started clapping when the music finished, looking over at the girls who were whispering to each other. She looked at Castle, fighting a laugh when the two started to try and move their feet in the same way the dancers had.

"And we have next for you a _Seguidilla_ , from the Castilian region," the host said, stepping out only to say that before a line of dancers formed in the darkness at the back of the stage.

"Look at their dresses," Celia whispered to Julia, though the adults all heard her.

"They're pretty and they're holding the _castanets_ ," Julia whispered back excitedly. "My grandpapa gave me those!"

Watching the pairs of men and women dancing together, the movements were mostly passes and footwork, the women playing the wooden instruments in their hands as they moved their arms in time to their own music.

Glancing over at their daughter, Castle wasn't too surprised when he saw that Julia was watching the dancing intently. But it made him pause as he realized she didn't really have to. He didn't see when she would need to dance those particular steps, but decided, watching the men and women raising their arms, that she would likely be able to use it for the Flamenco.

That dance over, there were some dances from the Andalucía region and also La Mancha before there was the _Fandango_ dance. Before they could stop the two, the adults were trying to keep Julia and Celia from getting too excited as the music for that increased in tempo. Luckily no one sitting around them complained, and once the guitars stopped they calmed down.

"So where in Barcelona did your dad see that first dance?" Castle asked as after that dance was an intermission and Anita and George took their daughter with them to get drinks.

"The one where they stood in a circle?" Julia asked.

"Yes, he was outside a church," Beckett said, thinking for a moment. "If memory serves me correctly he was heading to the _Sagrada Familia_ and-"

"Gaudi, I almost forgot about him, that's going to be awesome to go and see his works besides the cathedral," Castle said.

"Is he a friend of Grandpapa's?" Julia asked.

"No sweetie, he was an architect," Beckett said. "You'll like some of the things he made, especially his tile mosaics. But he saw some people dancing outside the church, that same dance."

"I thought they were gonna start playing ring around the rosy," Julia said.

"Me too, but I thought that was a pretty nice dance, they all were," Castle said.

"Are they gonna dance the _jota_?" Julia then asked.

Neither Beckett or Castle could answer, as the Gowers returned with drinks, and the show soon started again after that. After a few dances more, the host came out onto the stage and a map of Spain appeared on the screen that was lit up behind him.

"Our next dances are both the _Jota_ ," the man said. "First we will perform the _Aragonese Jota_ , which is from the province of Aragon."

The dance began with a young boy and girl stepping out into the spotlight and once the music began, they kicked their legs and danced around one another, arms high in the air as they both played the _castanets_. Castle and Beckett looked at their daughter to see her reaction, and they saw her looking at them her lips pursed slightly.

"I think she might be interested in learning it," Castle said, amusement in his voice.

'Probably the Castilian one too," Beckett said, smiling widely.

After that dance the host introduced the _Castilian Jota_ , and a group of four dancers began, with four more waiting to the sides. The men and women started out with their hands held up in between them, the men spinning the women. They parted, and began to play the castanets as they moved in the steps, their arms sweeping down to their feet before the other four dancers joined in and they switched couples before starting the same steps again, dancing around each other until the music stopped.

"That's the one Grandpapa said the people wanted to teach me," Julia said to her mother.

"I don't think it'll be as formal as that is if you're learning from people from the town," Beckett said.

"That's okay, I don't think I'm gonna dance like I will dance Ballroom. And Latin," Julia said quickly with a smile.

The last dance over several minutes later, the host returned to his place in the spotlight and said, "And for the rest of our night here with you, we have the Flamenco, a well known dance, and when one thinks of Spain, they think of this dance. It began in the Andalusia region and has become synonymous with our country. We hope you have enjoyed our show and thank you for joining us. _Muchas gracias a todos y buenas noches_."

"What did he say?" Celia asked Julia.

"Thank you and I think good night too," the little girl said, looking at her mother and Castle who nodded. Talking came from the stage then, and she and her friend looked to see a man in a Flamenco dancer's costume was coming into the light, a woman standing at the opposite end from him.

Castle and Beckett watched the beginning of the dance, the couple beginning to stamp their slight heels into the stage, arms moving and the woman's hands fluctuating with the guitar music. They then looked over at their daughter, seeing she was moving her hands back and forth slightly before she mimicked the movement of the women as another dance started with just one woman dancing.

"This one she'll learn," Beckett whispered to her fiancé as Celia began to do the same thing with her hands.

"I hope she likes those kinds of dresses," Castle said, slight amusement in his voice again. Beckett just looked at him, and he couldn't help reaching down as a man and woman began to dance to slower music, moving around one another, staring at each other intently. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to his fiancée's palm and then wrist, loving the beat of her heart matching the rhythm of the guitar, and in that second, wished he could tell her and show her he loved her as she leaned slightly against him. Instead, he tapped out the music's beat into her palm with his first two fingers, watching her breathing seeming to grow deeper as he felt his responding to it in turn, the steady rhythm working through them both and making them share a look that was intense, but abruptly broke when there was a final crash of the acoustic guitar on stage and the dance ended.

* * *

"Where are we going?" Julia asked a little impatiently as she waited for her mother and Castle to hand their things to the coat check attendant. "I'm very hungry Mommy, Castle."

"We're going to eat right now," he reassured her, glancing at Beckett to see her response to his choice for dinner. He laughed shortly when she playfully pushed his shoulder, and he went to open the door for them, looking to their daughter to see her reaction.

"It's down in the basement?" Julia asked in confusion.

"It's called a _bodega_ ," Beckett explained. "And they're supposed to be wine cellar restaurants, so they're under the ground."

"Want to stay? We can always go somewhere else," Castle said.

"This is good," Julia said. When he started to pick her up she stopped him saying, "I can go by myself."

"Then hold onto the railing sweetie," Beckett said, taking her hand as they started down the stairs, Castle following.

"It's cold here," Julia said in surprise once they were halfway down.

"Makes it a great place to come in the summer," Castle commented. "You wouldn't really need air conditioning."

"Did you come here before?" Julia asked them.

Before they could answer, Castle and Beckett were quickly shown their table as soon as they reached the bottom of the stairs, and they led Julia towards the back of the restaurant, and their table was a curved booth, looking out on the rest of the seating area.

"So I was thinking; remembering the last time we were here," Castle said. He then remembered Julia's question and said to her quickly, "We came for Valentine's Day. Anyways, I was thinking we could do _tapas_ or else _paella_."

"Depends on the _tapas_ they have," Beckett said. "If there aren't any she would eat, we should stick with the _paella_."

"I think we're confusing her," Castle said, laughter in his tone as he looked to their daughter and saw the perplexed look on her face.

"You remember what _tapas_ are, Castle had them when we saw the first _Clásico_ last year," Beckett reminded her. "Appetizers basically. And _paella_ is…" she said, trailing off as she got her phone out of her clutch. She searched the name and showed Julia a picture of the rice dish. "It's different depending on what you get, so the _paella_ here won't be the same as in this picture."

"I want _tapas_ again," Julia said. "But that _pa_ … _ella_ looks good too."

"I wonder if I should learn to make it," Castle mused.

"My dad always said that the best _paella_ was cooked outside in the open air," Beckett said. She smiled when her fiancé looked at her in uncertainty and she said, "It's where he usually ate that in Spain. And usually at a small house party in Carbajales."

"Did he ever cook it?" Castle asked.

"My mom," Beckett replied. "Just once, because it's a little difficult when you're trying it out the first time. My dad brought her back a small _paellera_ , the pan they use, and she tried it out." She then laughed softly at her memory of that and said, "He teased her while they were making it on the roof. I must have been… ten or eleven, and he told her that traditionally the men cooked it. And she told him he was welcome to try it if he wanted to, but he declined, saying the men he'd eaten it with last time had been too particular when he'd tried to help. All he could do was garnish it with some roasted peppers in the end instead of risk ruining the dish."

"So then we should make it," Castle said carefully, not really wanting to interrupt her memory, but worried it might sadden her with remembering it. "Together. You are a pretty good cook though you tend to prefer to let me."

"He's right Mommy, and I wanna help too," Julia said, having been worried about her mother as her smile at the beginning of the story faded towards the end. "Even if it's just putting on peppers I'll help!"

"Alright, we'll try…" Beckett said, smiling at her as she cupped Julia's cheek. "This weekend isn't good; remember we have to meet my dad at the Dakota for lunch at his friend's apartment tomorrow. And at night I'm having Maddie over for dinner since she's back from London to get her stuff to move back there with her husband."

"Sunday night," Castle said.

"Father's Day? I thought you wanted to eat at Coney Island," Beckett commented.

"I did, but I think we should go up on the roof of my building, and cook the _paella_ and eat there," Castle commented. "And I could use tomorrow to learn how we need to cook it."

"Would you be able to cook it on the roof?" Beckett asked.

"On Fourth of July, some people have barbeques, all through summer actually," Castle said simply. "So it'll be fine. And invite your dad."

"I will, and I just hope we can cook an edible _paella_ ," Beckett said. "For now, we should order."

"That's where we'll need your help sweetheart," Castle said.

Together Beckett and Castle told their daughter the list of _tapas_ and their description from the _tapas_ dinner menu they'd been given. After they'd ordered everything, he had the waiter lean over so he could speak to him and when the man had gone, he noticed his fiancée and Julia were watching him.

"A slight surprise," he told them.

"What makes it slight?" Beckett asked before the waiter came over with another who was carrying a bucket. She watched in surprise as the second man placed the bucket on the floor, and watched their waiter pour out a drink, raising his arm above his head. Since the glass in his other hand was held down further, the bucket held the liquid that didn't make it to the glass, which; once filled, he set in front of her. " _Sidra_?" she asked as the man poured another glass and gave it to Castle and they both drank it quickly before it lost the air bubbles in it.

"Do I get some? And what is that?" Julia asked, touching her mother's arm.

"It's cider, but for grownups," Castle answered. "And I read up on Spanish cuisine since we were last here."

"I guess so," Beckett said. "My dad's gone to the _sidrerías_ in Asturias where they serve this, though he has the non-alcoholic version now."

"And so will you Julia," Castle said, their waiter returning a glass of regular cider and their first _tapa_. "Okay, so we need to keep going back to Spain, there's too much to see."

"First though, we should have a toast," Beckett said. "To our little girl who's officially in the first grade," she said with a smile as Julia squirmed next to her. "And to the summer. _Salud_."

" _Salud_ ," Castle and Julia echoed. They tapped glasses and drank before getting started on their food, the waiter bringing over three dishes after the first. When Julia asked about the Fourth of July, Castle and Beckett explained their plans for that weekend; since the holiday was on a Friday; and what they'd do all three days they were planning to stay there.

"Cut these up sweetie," Beckett said, taking Julia's fork and cutting the _albóndigas_ , meatballs, on her plate in halves. She then got her knife and split the _empanadas_ and _croquetas_ they'd ordered as well. "I was thinking of taking off Thursday too," she commented to Castle. "So we could go the earliest we can on Thursday, and then come back late Sunday; get as much done as we can."

"Do you think we should start looking into the…" Castle said before trailing off.

Helping Julia with her _calamares_ , Beckett didn't answer at first before she said, "I think we should, but there won't be too much to do in the end. We've kept things simple."

"We're not going to be rushing though," Castle said quickly.

Smiling, as she knew he was uneasy about that, Beckett said simply, "No, because it's taken us a long time to get to that point. We just don't need a huge ceremony; it'll be a private, simple wedding, which is what I want. Our family and closest friends, and us getting married which is what really matters."

"You make a great point. Julia, are you enjoying your food?" Castle asked. He chuckled when she nodded after eating some _tortilla_ and said, "I should look into cooking more Spanish food."

"I think the _tortilla_ should be the first thing you learn," Beckett said.

"Can we get dessert?" Julia asked then, finishing her half of _croqueta_.

"You're still eating sweetie," Beckett said with a smile, not surprised at the question.

"We will, something special," Castle said. "We should have gotten it when we came last time."

"Well, we were good with our sherry," Beckett said simply. "So we'll have the trip with the Fosters when we go, we need to do something with them," she said to bring their conversation back to the Fourth.

Trying to figure out what to do with their neighbors in the Hamptons took some time to discuss, and by the time they'd decided to see if they could go hiking with them or perhaps go horseback riding, they were served dessert.

" _Churros_?" Julia asked, recognizing the pastry, though she noticed it didn't have sugar on it.

"Spanish _churros_ ," Beckett said. "That's what the chocolate is for."

Watching, Julia was surprised when her mother dipped one of the pastries into the cup in front of her, and realized the chocolate was thick, and she hurried to do the same.

"Well?" Beckett asked, looking at her fiancé and then their daughter once they'd all taken a bite.

"It's good," Julia said with a smile. "They have this in Spain? Did Grandpapa?"

"He did, he took me to a restaurant when I was younger; it's not around anymore; and we had that for breakfast," Beckett said.

"A pretty good breakfast, with some coffee," Castle said, holding up his mug. He jumped then when his phone started to shake in his pocket, and he took it out.

"Alexis?" Julia asked eagerly, leaning over to look at him.

"She wants us to call when we get to the loft," Castle commented absently as he answered the text. "So that's two things we need to do, call Alexis and sign her yearbook."

"Okay, then let's finish and go, because it's pretty late," Beckett said. She laughed with Castle when Julia only pouted in response to that, and they returned to their dessert as they went over the dances at the show again.

* * *

Sitting on the edge of the armchair, Julia watched her mother walk in with her yearbook. "Are you gonna sign it now? Or after we talk to Alexis?" she asked as Beckett took her hand and made her walk with her to Castle's desk.

"Right now, Alexis is finishing up dinner. She'll call when she's ready to talk," Beckett replied, helping her daughter onto her lap. "Did you have fun tonight?" she asked as she opened the book and took Castle's pen in front of her.

"Yeah, I wish we could do that again," Julia said.

"I think we should do that," Castle said as he walked into the room. "Go to different dance shows, and then have dinner after, eating food from whatever country's dancing we just saw."

"I don't know if we could do that," Beckett said, pausing in starting her message.

"We can try," Castle said. "Go ahead," he motioned to the book, knowing she wanted to read it to their daughter.

"Okay," Beckett said before kissing Julia's temple. " _Julia, I am so proud of you today. You are a great student, and you try to learn as much as you can. I know you will make your daddy and I proud when you get to the first grade. We love you, are so lucky to have you and you will always be my sweet little girl, Mommy_ ," she read as she signed, looking at Castle after she'd signed her name before looking at their daughter to see if she was reacting to the message.

Smiling at that, Castle watched as Julia hugged Beckett tightly, and he laughed slightly when she held out his pen towards him. "So I take it that's a hint?" he asked as he stood up and walked over to the desk, sitting down in his chair.

"Pretty much," Beckett replied, staying next to him as Julia sat on his lap with his help. She wondered what he was going to write as he picked his pen back up; pausing a little as he almost set it down to the page. "What?" she asked when he didn't move for a moment.

"No, I was just thinking of writing a limerick, but maybe I shouldn't," Castle said.

"Just write, I know you have something planned already," Beckett said. She was surprised when he didn't say anything when he began to write, and she guessed he wanted to make them wait. She fought the urge to roll her eyes until he finally stopped, pulling his pen away from the page before he signed at the bottom of the message.

"Okay," Castle said, glancing at his fiancée who shrugged before he turned back to the page. " _Julia, like your mom said, we are so proud of you today. You've done a great job in kindergarten and I couldn't be luckier to have a daughter like you. I'm looking forward to this summer, and spending time with you before we help you when you go into the first grade_ …" he read, trailing off. "I'm not sure how to sign that."

Smiling, Beckett said simply, "What do you want to sign?" She wasn't surprised when he wrote firmly, _Daddy_ , knowing that their daughter would be able to read that.

Turning after he'd finished, Julia was going to speak when Castle's phone rang. "It's Alexis!"

Helping the little girl down, Castle shared a quick kiss with her before he let her go with her mother. Setting up the TV, he soon had Alexis on the screen and said, "Hey, good timing, we need to get Julia into bed soon."

"I figured, though she's up pretty late tonight, it's almost ten," Alexis said, smiling at Julia on her screen.

"She's hyper," Beckett said, watching Julia rock back and forth on her feet.

"The dancing was sooo good, I wish you were here to see Alexis," Julia finally burst out saying. "The costumes were so pretty, oh! And you should have seen the Flamenco; it was pretty and looks like fun to dance to."

"Maybe they'll come back while I'm home Jules," Alexis said. "And how was dinner, Dad told me where he was taking you."

"We had Spanish food, and it was…" Julia started to say. "What was it called Mommy?"

" _Tapas_ ," Beckett replied with a smile.

"Sounds great. So what're you doing tomorrow?" Alexis asked her dad.

"I'll probably write a little, I need to get the chapter I'm on past the first few paragraphs of the beginning," Castle commented.

"And you?" Alexis said, glancing at Beckett.

"Lunch with my dad, and tomorrow night my old high school friend is coming over. She just got back from London; she's only here to get her things. And she wants to meet Julia," Beckett replied.

"Sounds interesting, but Dad, didn't you-" Alexis started to say.

"Yeah, but that was a while back," Castle said, quickly cutting her off as he knew Julia wouldn't want to hear about him dating other women before her mother. "So what're your plans? The city?"

"Yep, I'm heading to Chinatown and the mall one last time. I went to Fisherman's Wharf today, for dinner. Saw the sea lions again and I took some pictures; I'll send them to you Beckett, for Julia," Alexis said.

"Thank you!" Julia said happily.

"Okay, I should go, you need to get her to bed don't you?" Alexis asked.

"Yeah, I just wonder how long it's going to take," Beckett said slowly as she looked at her daughter who was bouncing up and down slightly.

"I'll talk to you tomorrow Dad," Alexis said. "Mind if I call tomorrow?" she said to her dad's fiancée.

"Not at all, but make it at eight, Maddie will likely have gone and we'll be settling down for the night," Beckett replied.

"Great, I'll talk to you tomorrow then," Alexis said. "And Jules?"

"Yeah?" Julia asked, smiling a little.

"I love you little sis," Alexis said, not surprised when Julia stopped moving and then began to blush a little. She returned the little girl's shy wave before saying goodbye to Beckett and her dad, turning off her screen.

"Are you alright sweetheart?" Castle asked once everything was off and he was picking her up.

Julia nodded and then sighed saying, "I wish Alexis was here."

"She will be soon," Beckett assured her. She placed her hand on Castle's back as they went up the stairs, knowing that he was missing his older daughter in that moment. There wasn't really much surprise hearing herself referring to Alexis in that way and she smiled as he set their daughter down so she could get her changed.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Castle watched Julia run out of the bathroom a few minutes later; changed into her pajamas; and wasn't surprised at all to see her bouncing around. He had to laugh when she started to try and mimic the hand movements of the Flamenco dancers, and he grabbed her, pulling her to him. "You're not going to get to sleep yet are you?" he asked as Beckett came out of the bathroom.

"Not for a while," Beckett said with a sigh as she sat next to them. She then leaned over and whispered into Castle's ear. When he nodded, they got up and she waited for him to say goodnight to their daughter.

"Okay sweetheart, we'll wake you up tomorrow, have breakfast before you need to go to lunch with your grandfather," Castle was saying as Julia stood up on the bed in front of him. He hugged her as she wrapped her arms around him tightly and shared a kiss with her before saying, "I love you Julia, sweet dreams."

Nodding once, the little girl watched her mother walk up to her, and she bounced a little on the bed before throwing her arms around Beckett's neck. "You were very pretty tonight Mommy," she told her seriously.

"So were you," Beckett said simply.

"But Castle thought you were pretty, he kept looking at you. And he was going to kiss you when we saw the Flamenco," Julia said in a matter of fact tone. When the two looked at each other she giggled and said, "I saw."

"You were both pretty tonight," Castle said quickly so they could get her to sleep.

"Okay, so tomorrow, remember we have plans, so we need to make sure we're not late to meet your grandpapa," Beckett said. "And I love you so much Julia, sweet dreams."

"Love you Mommy," Julia said, sharing a kiss with her. With that, her mother tucked her into bed, and she sighed as first Castle and then Beckett kissed the top of her head. She watched in surprise as he then took out his phone, and The Beatles' song _Good Night_ began to play. She smiled and hummed as the two stood next to the bed, watching her. Though she was excited from that night and earlier that day, she felt weariness creeping onto her, and she soon closed her eyes, just as the song was beginning to end.

"You know, one of these nights we need you to play _Dehra Dun_ to her to put her to sleep," Castle said once they'd left the room and headed downstairs together.

"Do you want me to sing too?" Beckett asked wryly with a smile.

"Sure, you know you can," Castle said simply. "And I'd like to hear you sing that actually."

"Speaking of music, there's something I wanted to ask you," Beckett said, taking his hand then and pulling him to his room.

"Shoot," Castle said, locking the door; grateful that he'd thought to lock the others before they'd left for the show.

"What exactly were you doing when they were dancing Flamenco?" Beckett asked.

Castle didn't answer that for a moment, thinking of how he could word it before he finally said, "Do you remember the first practice that Julia had for her Ballroom lessons?" When she nodded he said, hesitating a little as he really had no idea what she would say in response, "And her teacher said, you need to feel the music?"

"Right, but what does that have to do with you tapping out the rhythm of the guitars on my palm," Beckett said, very perplexed.

Deciding to just take a chance, Castle said, "You know that everything is a rhythm, a beat right?"

"Yeah, I know," Beckett said simply. When her fiancé looked at her in a little shock she smiled saying, "Freshman year of college I had a music class; I wanted to learn to read and write music, luckily my mom was pretty understanding and urged me to take the class since I already had all the classes I needed to take. But the professor was very into music as a part of everyday life, not just instruments and songs. Your heartbeat, your breath, the way you walk all of that is a rhythm, and a song in of itself. And I agreed with him, there is a rhythm in everything, it's why music is a part of life, it's a physical expression of rhythms. But what I'm not getting is why exactly you were looking at me the way you were. You usually only do that when we're alone, and we were definitely not then."

"Because I've come to realize you, as a lover, have a rhythm that I want to try and learn," Castle said simply, knowing he couldn't avoid the reason for much longer. He saw that his fiancée looked a little confused again, and he explained, "When we're together, when we make love… when you beg me to fuck you," laughing as she pushed him slightly at that. "But when we're together, your body has a way of moving, the way you breathe, your pulse racing in your neck, even the way you speak, it all culminates into a kind of rhythm that is never the same. And I try to learn it; even though I didn't realize I was doing that for a while; though it's hard to."

"You're serious," Beckett said simply, watching him closely. When he nodded she breathed in deeply and then said, "I think that encompasses both of us, because you're supplying your own rhythm I guess we're calling it, to mine."

"A symphony?" Castle suggested as he wrapped his arm around her waist.

"I guess, but one that's private to us," Beckett said.

"Definitely," Castle said nodding quickly. He pulled her closer and said, "And also the fact that that Flamenco music was pure passion, I wanted to warn you about now."

"Now? So what, you were a time traveler and at some point you switched places with the future Castle so I have you back?" Beckett teased him. She smiled when he shook his head once, knowing he was too far into his arousal to go along with her, and she wrapped her arms around him tightly as he leaned down to kiss her neck. "Hmm, I'm assuming it's racing?"

"It is," Castle said, pulling away from her pulse. "But you know I'm not doing that while we're together, figuring-"

"You said," Beckett assured him. "It's a subconscious thing I'm guessing?" When he nodded his head once, she smiled and said, "I guess I should confess I'm doing something similar."

Kissing her gently on the lips, Castle pulled back and said, "Music?"

"No," Beckett said, cursing the heat rising in her cheeks. "I try and figure out who you're going to be whenever you come to me."

"In what way?" Castle asked, confused but intrigued by that.

"You're a different lover every time we're together you know," Beckett said. When he looked like he was thinking that over, she smiled and said, "You are, you're never the same, and it's a little challenge to me. To figure out how you'll move, how you'll touch me. And believe me when I say love doing it. But I don't go into it with the sole purpose of that."

"I thought so, you know, I think we're sharing that too," Castle said. "You can be different every time and I love trying to work with you, it's a lot of fun."

"So," Beckett said, biting her lower lip as she pressed tightly against him and could feel his arousal against her thigh. "Should we do it again? I'd love to try and match the rhythm of the guitars with our bodies."

Shuddering in pleasure at that, Castle leaned down and captured her lips with his own, reaching up to her hair with his hand to pull out the comb. When they needed to breathe, he tossed it onto the dresser carefully, and then pulled his fiancée over to the end of the bed where they kissed again, that time arms embracing each other as they were passionate. It wasn't until they had parted to breathe again did he move, making her turn around so he could loosen her hair. Wrapping his arms around her, he pulled her back against him as he nuzzled the back of her head with his lips, feeling her shake. "This is going to be more intense than the music was," he commented as he could feel himself throbbing at her heavy breath.

"Yes it will," Beckett said, turning around to face him. She ran her hands over his shirt; his jacket long since discarded; and pressed one hand to his heart, the other descending to cup him carefully before she gently pressed her hand around him. She nearly smiled as he jerked against her with a groan; though that squeeze was fairly gentle; but instead she reached up and wrapped her arms around him saying, "It will be, because you're going to fuck me Rick."

Unable to really find a reply to that, Castle gathered her up in his embrace, and crushed his lips to hers, feeling her groan against him in response. He held her close, and was suddenly cursing their clothing since he could feel her breasts pressed against his chest; just under two layers of fabric. But he wanted to take his time a little, not just rush her into bed as if they were together for only sex. He pulled back and said, "You don't want to fuck me love?"

"No," Beckett said, smiling that time at his use of the endearment. She was going to tell him he didn't need to waste anymore time, and could start getting her undressed when he beat her to it, the loud sound of the zipper being pulled down her back filling the room. She shivered as his hand slid down to the small of her back, a trail of fire echoing in his wake. She helped him get that dress off, watching as he carefully took it to the longer dresser he had, setting it there. "So you liked that one."

"I did… damn it, you beat me," Castle said when he turned to her and saw she was naked. He then had to swallow hard as she was walking around the bed, completely naked save for her heels. "So," he said, coughing when his voice was a little throaty as he watched her remove her shoes. "Are you set or do you need my help?"

"Not yet," Beckett said. She laughed for a moment at his confusion at that and told him, "Get rid of the clothes Castle." Lying back in the middle of the bed, she watched him discard his clothes, not taking as much care with them as he had with her dress, everything in a pile on the floor. She shook her head as he climbed on the bed from his side; since it was closer she knew; and said, "You're usually so neat."

"They don't really matter right this second," Castle said as he lay on top of her. He kissed her as soon as he was settled, glad that she'd propped herself up on some pillows as he didn't have to bend down that much to reach her. He slipped his tongue into her mouth and they fought against each other for a while before he pulled away. Reaching in between them with his hand, he wasn't all that surprised when he barely brushed against her folds, and his skin was instantly damp. "How long?"

"Since you were tapping my palm with your fingers," Beckett confessed. She was surprised when he breathed out with relief and said, "You too?"

"No, longer, since I was kissing you over there before we left," Castle said quickly, taking her right hand and bringing it in between them. He hissed slightly as he curled her hand around him, his fiancée taking charge of her own fingers, those wrapping around him as well. "So there's been a lot of repressing between the two of us, is it going to kill you if… Kate!" he ended on a yell that had a groan mixed in with it as she proceeded to carefully stroke him.

"I think I'm going to end up killing you," Beckett said as she watched him. She knew she could have smiled at his reaction to her touching him as intimately as she was, but there was no humor, more pride in the fact that he was groaning against her shoulder, straining with himself, trying not to move with her and failing miserably. "Oh god, I can't wait anymore," she said, getting more and more turned on as she watched him. She was able to get his attention with that luckily, and it took little time for them to work together to get him to slide inside of her to their mixed groans. "You need to fuck me Rick," she whispered to him once he was in her completely, making her tremble as she could feel much better what hours of repressing his desire had done now he didn't have to stop it.

"I do," Castle said, pulling back slightly. He didn't move, and instead grabbed her hips, taking the pillow she quickly grabbed in response to that. With them raised, he took her left leg, and pressing a kiss to her ankle, he set it on his shoulder. He wasn't too surprised when she'd figured out where to place her other leg; tight around his waist; and he moved once, hard, just to see what they would be feeling with that new position.

Her gasp ripped from her throat, Beckett was relieved when Castle paused then and said, "Where… where?"

"A book, I didn't buy it, just was a sample page," Castle said, his jaw tense as he was fighting with his body again to not move yet. When he felt her suddenly move her hips underneath him, that was the last straw for him, and he began to thrust, going hard and as roughly as he could, knowing she was ready for it because of how wet she was around him. He breathed out harshly when he felt her moving with him shortly after that, and he leaned down, brushing his lips against hers. He hadn't been sure if they'd be able to do that; even with the picture that had been on the page; and he tried to go down her neck to her breasts. While he was able to reach her neck, he was unable to go further than the hollow of her throat. To console himself, he reached up, cupping her left mound in his hand, flicking his thumb against the nipple as he watched her closely so he could see her reaction.

Arching her back so his palm came down on her breast, Beckett reached up to hold him in place, their fingers eventually entwining. She was relieved when he kissed her again; since she wouldn't really be able to start it herself; and she was quick to slip her tongue into his mouth before he was responding. She moaned into his lips as they began to playfully fight against one another before he was pulling away. She kissed his lips when he was still close enough for her to do that, and then looked on as he went to the hollow of her throat. She bit her swollen lower lip as he nipped around the edge of it, his tongue quick to soothe her skin. All during that, he was still moving inside of her, roughly as she'd asked him twice to do, and she was there with him, matching each thrust easily, their hips making a hollow smack when they met.

Trying to move down to her breasts again, Castle finally gave up, and instead of just staying as he was, he stopped, but only to move them around so they were both on their knees in the middle of the bed. "Now you can fuck me," he nearly growled to Beckett as they started to thrust again, nearly at the same time.

"I think…" she started to say before she gasped. Beckett held Castle to her breasts where he was kissing around each mound wildly, and then said, "We're fucking each other."

"Just don't stop," Castle groaned, his hands on the small of her back, trying to hold her to him though she was moving up and down on him. He kissed her, a frantic, passionate crushing of their lips before they parted, and he cupped her left breast in his hand. Bowing his head, he took it with his lips, flicking his tongue over the very tip of her nipple. He felt her reaction more than heard it, as she was clutching at the back of his head. Shuddering, he suddenly pulled back as his body was urging him to lay her on her back and take her again that way. But instead, he took hold of her hips, and at the same time as he made her, he rocked his hips slowly with her. They were still moving, but very measured as compared to before. But the thrusts were more deliberate, and he swore he could feel every last inch of her as she kissed his lips and cheeks before he had had enough.

Finding herself on her back, Beckett pulled Castle down to her once he was moving again, feeling him going faster than he had been before. She kissed him, feeling him inside of her, deep since the pillow was tucked under her hips again. She stroked the back of his head, all the way down to the middle of his shoulders. There she could feel his muscles, working furiously as he pulled away from their kiss. She brushed her fingertips against his cheek, watching as he turned his head to kiss at them while she wrapped her legs higher around his waist. She was breathing heavily, and could feel her body aching, wanting to reach her climax. She was trying to control herself, but it was difficult to do, especially with the friction they were making each other feel. She could feel that rhythm they'd been talking about before, could even hear it in the slap of their hips meeting. She bit her lower lip hard as she was distracted from that as Castle bowed his head, and took her right breast with his mouth. Stroking his hair as he suckled at her carefully, she suddenly tried to tilt her hips up a little more, wanting to feel more than she already was though by then her body was a raging fire of pleasure with everything he was making her feel.

Feeling what she was doing, Castle reached down and helped her with one hand under the small of her back. The pillow was useless then to her, but it made a comfortable place for his hand to rest as he went back to her breasts before eventually going up to her lips. They were kissing hard, and he could feel his lips swelling up again with the force. But he didn't stop until they had exchanged at least three of those; not sure of the exact number since it was next to impossible to keep track; and then it was to breathe. He moved to her ear, nibbling at the lobe slightly before pulling back and pressing his forehead to hers. "Love…" he said simply, hoping the tone of his voice was conveying what he was feeling then, because of her. He was having a hard time trying to identify where his pleasure was coming from, as everything seemed to be bundling up together, and he tried to stop, but something tense in him suddenly loosened; with almost explosive force as he yelled out her name, burying his face into her neck.

Quick to join him as there was no real way for her to withstand feeling Castle taking his final pleasure with her, Beckett cried out, guessing it was his name as she held onto him tightly, moving her hips harder, back on the pillow. The waves of ecstasy that seemed to search out for every inch of her body made her literally dizzy, and she clutched at her fiancé to keep from losing consciousness though the blackness of that was trying to get her to give up. Just able to hold on, she finally stopped moving as Castle did so above her, shuddering hard once before his body slumped down onto hers. "Castle," she said after a moment.

"Sorry, I don't think I can move though," he replied, his voice sounding a little weary.

"Can you turn over?" Beckett asked. She wasn't surprised when he grabbed her and rolled around onto his back. She pressed her cheek to his shoulder, feeling him stroke her hair before she raised her head to look at him. "You know what I just realized? It took you a long time to tell me about that rhythm you feel with me, you didn't want me to know about that?"

"Not that, just I wasn't sure what you'd think," Castle said. "I thought you'd pass it off and consider it like ghosts or aliens; that it's not real."

"True," Beckett said before she carefully got off of him. She tossed the pillow she'd been laying on aside, and sat back against her pillows as he joined her. "But it's not something supernatural, it's something you can feel."

"It's amazing is what it is," Castle said, turning and kissing her shoulder from collarbone to end.

Beckett smiled and shook her head before he tilted his head up to hers. She met his lips in a kiss, one that was slow but sensuous, before she moved back and said, "You're right actually."

"What do you mean actually?" Castle said in mock indignation. He wrapped his arms around her and started kissing wildly at her neck before he ran his tongue along the side. At her shiver he pulled back and said, "I'm just right, aren't I?"

His lips close to hers, Beckett could taste his breath before she flicked her tongue out to her lower lip. She found she couldn't speak at that moment, so she only nodded before he kissed her again. The kiss was quick, and she was soon leaning against him as they were quiet, listening to the silence in the room. She eventually moved, pulling the sheet up over them before saying, "Today was… interesting."

"Which part, the graduation or the dance and dinner?" Castle asked. "And in what way?"

Smiling Beckett said, "The graduation. I say it every once in a while, but I still find it… a surprise to find I'm a mother."

"But you wouldn't want to stop would you…" Castle started to say. When she gave him a look he laughed and kissed her shoulder which was still bare as she was holding the sheet above her breasts. "So what about the show, you liked that right?"

"I did," Beckett said with a smile. "I never thought I'd know more about Spanish folk dances, though I guess knowing about the _jota_ when I was young I should have realized it would happen."

"You know, that reminds me of the costume that Julia has now, and about Julia and what I wanted to talk to you about," Castle said.

"Interesting train of thought," Beckett said. "Please, do tell what's on your mind."

Shaking his head at her wording and her tone of voice as he smiled, Castle leaned over to kiss her briefly before saying, "When we're married, Julia's last name?"

"She'll have yours," Beckett said. She then paused for a brief second, not so much hesitating as to take a breath, and said, "But I'd like to keep mine."

"Yeah, that was a given already, and I guess I should have told you I was going to leave that up to you," Castle said. "But what about your last name? Will she keep it; are we going to do that hyphenated thing?"

"I don't think so, she'll have a long last name, but I can't imagine someone talking to her formally and calling her Miss Beckett-Castle," Beckett replied. "I would like her to keep my last name still though. So that I think we have set. Anything else we need to get settled?"

"I don't think so," Castle said. He thought for a moment and said, "I think we've got as much of the wedding set as we possibly can. The honeymoon needs to be set once we have a date for the wedding. And the housing situation."

Breathing in, Beckett said, "I've been thinking about that too. And I really think we should tell them we're not going to be taking their place. It's absolutely stunning but… it's not enough time to decide."

"What I was thinking too," Castle said. "We'll find another place, as stunning as that apartment was and we'll make it our own."

"And we should tell Martha and Alexis they can move in with us," Beckett said. "Because we're talking like they're only going to be guests wherever we move to."

"That's been bothering you too?" Castle asked. When she nodded he kissed her deeply before he said, "You wouldn't mind my mother living with us?"

"She's family Castle," Beckett said. "But I think she'd want to stay here."

"Probably will shuttle back and forth," Castle said with a grin. "To see her youngest granddaughter. So why don't we start; secretly; looking into homes?"

"Great, save the paper on Sunday, when we have a chance next week we'll start looking," Beckett said.

"Perfect, now," Castle said, grabbing Beckett and pulling her under the sheets. "Something we need to do."

Beckett watched him in the amber light as he lay on top of her body, and she wrapped her arms around him tightly. Their lips met in a kiss, and everything became lost as they began to caress each other intimately.

A few very quietly whispered words emanated from the bed sheet, and their sighs at each touch slid into a groan of satisfaction as they couldn't stop themselves. Their hurried I love yous joined their heavy breathing as their lips joined every so often to add to the heat rising between them. Their bodies joined together, and they began searching for that rhythm they'd spent the bout before creating. They soon found it and discovered that yet again, it was one they hadn't fashioned before and they were in no rush in bringing it to its culmination; as time meant nothing to them in their pleasured effort.


	15. Epilogue- When I Come Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Alligator by Paul McCartney, from his album New.

Throwing his pen up in the air, Castle caught it easily in his left hand before he placed it on the back of it. Trying to flick it around that way, he hissed when the tip landed square on his knuckle, hitting a nerve at the same time. "Oh, hey Mother," he said, shaking his hand back and forth when he saw her walk into his office.

"You're brooding Richard," Martha said as she sat on the other side of his desk. "You've kept yourself holed up in this office since Kate and Julia hung up with you on Skype to wish you a Happy Father's Day, well, except for your breakfast of an omelet you ate back in here while you were watching cartoons. You miss them?"

"Well, yeah of course I do," Castle said, not really surprised his mother had picked up on his mood. "But I'm a little… I guess depressed. It's Father's Day, and here I am, alone without either of my daughters, or my fiancée. But don't get me wrong," he said quickly as his mother opened her mouth to speak. "You're here I know I just…"

"Want to be a father right now," Martha stated for him. When he nodded she smiled and said, "You couldn't have gone with them to Jim's apartment until they left for lunch?"

"No, I wanted him to have the chance to spend his first Father's Day as a grandfather with them alone," Castle said. "I'll have other chances to do things with Julia first today. But I miss Alexis, I've been texting her, calling her, she only mentioned she's busy with Diana so… here I am. Thinking, and there's something I want to ask you that I can't ask Kate." When his mother looked at him expectantly he said, "Do you think with Julia that I'm acting like a father, or am I playing the goofy uncle more? Because I worry I'm being a little too much like the latter when I need to be the former for her, since I'm technically the only father she's ever had."

"You never really doubt yourself Richard, but you've done that many times with Kate and Julia," Martha commented.

"This is different, I can't joke around with things concerning them, at least not the important stuff like my relationships with them both; not after Queens," Castle said.

"Well, first, you can't be perfect, so don't try that," Martha said simply. "And answer this, when you're with Julia, you try and make her laugh," she said. When her son nodded firmly she then continued saying, "And are you doing that to be silly, or because you love her and you really want to make her happy?"

"The latter," Castle said before she could finish saying happy. He was quiet and said, "And I'm also trying to show Kate that I love her; that I love them both actually."

"Then you have absolutely nothing to worry about," Martha said, standing up and reaching over to pat his hand on the desk. "You're doing everything you're doing for the purest reasons, you love Kate and Julia." She was about to leave when she paused and said, "They can't move in can they?"

"Not yet, but the way things are now, they pretty much have, except for last night," Castle said. "I guess I miss her," he said, sighing. "I really wasn't expecting that, at least not missing her this much."

"When you're in love, it can change you," Martha commented with a smile. "Call her Richard, and then let's go because it's nearly time to leave so we can meet them."

"I'll just wait until we meet them at the zoo," Castle said. "She might think I'm getting needy if I call her so soon after talking to her earlier," he said to his mother's back. He sighed and started trying to make his pen spin as he heard her head upstairs. He wasn't sure how long he sat there, looking at the pen and then at his watch, before he heard a knock on the door. "Want to get that for me Mother?" he called, since the knock wasn't one he was familiar with and didn't want to be bothered with answering it.

"I'm on the phone with Marianne," Martha called back to him. "And you need to get out of that office."

Sighing, Castle got up, and went to the door, nearing it as there was a flurry of knocking. "Okay, hold on," he called, guessing it was someone he knew. "I said-" he started to say as he opened the door to more knocking. He froze when he saw who was on the other side and then seemed to jump saying, "Alexis?"

"Daddy!" she cried, laughing as she threw her arms around him. "I missed you so much."

The shock left Castle then, and he wrapped his arms around his daughter, laughing with her. "I missed you too sweetheart, and you're home," he said finally once they had let go of each other. "When did you get in? Just now?" he asked.

"Alexis! Darling, I thought I heard your voice," Martha said, coming down the stairs then as quickly as she could. She hugged her granddaughter tightly as Castle began picking up her things still in the hall and looked over, seeing three suitcases and a case. "You've brought San Francisco back with you I see."

"There are gifts for all of you," Alexis said. "And Julia, Beckett and her dad; since he got me that fan."

"Speaking of that, we should go," Castle said, looking at the case with a puzzled expression on his face. He then looked up at his mother and daughter and said, "They'll be waiting for us at the sea lions."

"It's funny Julia was so eager to see them in San Francisco when she's seen them at the zoo," Martha commented.

"That's because of the pictures I sent of them on their docks," Alexis said as they left the loft. "They're not like that at the zoo. How is she?"

"Your sister?" Castle asked. When his daughter nodded he smiled and said, "Good, she's going to freak out when she sees you. I think she was missing you as much as I was."

"Well of course she was," Martha said. "So it'll be interesting to see her reaction to you."

Biting back a laugh, Alexis nodded as they got into the elevator and said, "It definitely will be."

* * *

"There they are," Jim said to his daughter and Julia who were standing next to him at the sea lion pool.

"Alexis!" Julia cried before she ran up the steps and into the young woman's arms. "Did you surprise him?"

"A lot, I almost didn't think he recognized me," Alexis said as she picked the little girl up, kissing her cheek. "Mr. Beckett, it's nice to see you again."

"And Kate too," Castle said, a little surprised his daughter had missed Beckett.

"And you too, sorry," Alexis said.

"That's alright, there are a lot of us now you need to remember," Beckett said, squeezing Castle's arm quickly since she couldn't really do anything else. "So are we ready to go through the zoo? Because she is."

"Do you want to see these again? There aren't a lot, and they aren't pushing like in San Francisco," Julia said, taking Alexis' hand once she had set her down. "But they're cute still."

"You and Julia weren't really that surprised to see her," Castle commented as they went after their family to the edge of the pool where two of the sea lions were leaping from the water as they swam through the water of their habitat.

"That's because I actually came home yesterday evening Dad," Alexis said, hearing him. "And I stayed at Beckett's last night." When he was about to speak she said hurriedly, "That was part of my Father's Day gift to you, to surprise you and Gram."

"So… where'd she sleep," Castle said, not going to begrudge Alexis that since he was just relieved she was home, not caring when she came back exactly.

"With me, we had a sleepover," Julia said happily. "But it was a surprise that she came."

"Want to explain that to me?" Castle asked, turning to his fiancée as their daughters turned their attention back to the animals.

Beckett smiled and said, "She surprised us actually, we were planning for her to come back and surprise you on Father's Day. Since she didn't want to have jet lag, she got tickets for yesterday evening, and she was planning on staying with her friend Edith. So it was more than a surprise when I heard a knock at the door well after Maddie had left."

"It was interesting to hear about her reaction to Julia," Castle said.

"She loved her," Beckett said. "But do you want to hear about that again or Alexis?"

"Alexis," Castle said quickly. "No, sorry, Kate was just telling me something," he said when his daughter turned to look at them.

"Anyways, I was getting Julia ready for bed when the knock came," Beckett said, her smile returning to her face as she recalled the night before as she and Julia were sitting down to read a book together on the little girl's bed.

* * *

_Looking over at the doorway, Julia then looked at her mother and asked in a little concern, "Who is it?" She then suddenly brightened up and asked, "Is it Castle?"_

_"I don't think so; he was going home after he went to his bar with your uncles remember?" Beckett said. "I don't know who that is, so stay there sweetie, and I'll see." She got off the bed and went to the door, glancing out, but since the person was turned away then, she frowned before realizing she'd seen that shade of hair before. "Alexis?" she asked as she opened the door. "You… you're back." She shook her head at the idiocy of that statement and hugged the young woman saying, "I'm glad to see you're back I should have said." Stepping back she looked down and said, "I thought you were here to see Julia, but you have your things."_

_"Yeah, um, I went to Edith's but her parents said she's with Max," Alexis said slowly._

_"Max… so they've been dating?" Beckett asked._

_"No, this was their first date her parents assured me; and they wouldn't lie; they apparently wanted to date but didn't want to do that to me," Alexis said. "So things worked out."_

_"Then you should come in," Beckett said with a smile. "I'm wondering, when did you get a sitar?" she commented as she helped Alexis with her cases._

_"Since I learned Mitch's boyfriend knew how to play. I bought one for a great price at that Indian store in the Haight-Ashbury area, and he taught me a little," Alexis said. "I'm going to try and see if I can keep learning."_

_"I've been learning to play the mandolin, I'm sure your dad will tell us to start performing concerts together at home," Beckett commented. She was about to call to Julia to let her know who was there, when Alexis touched her arm._

_"How is he?" she asked._

_"Missing you like crazy, and us too actually," Beckett said. "Your grandmother is out at a play tonight, so he's alone."_

_"We'll be there tomorrow and he'll wish for that peace and quiet again," Alexis said with a wry smile. "Okay, so, my sister?"_

_"Julia?" Beckett called, smiling at Alexis. She went to the doorway to the rooms and when she saw the little girl in the doorway to her bedroom, motioned to her saying, "Someone here to see you."_

_"It was Castle, wasn't it Mommy?" Julia said. "I told… ALEXIS!" she suddenly shrieked when she came around the doorway and saw who it was._

_Both Beckett and Alexis jumped at the yell, but they were distracted when Julia ran and seemed to jump at the same time before she was in the young woman's arms._

_"I wish I could have Vined that," Alexis laughed, hugging the little girl to her tightly. She kissed her cheek and said, "I surprised you didn't I?"_

_"Yeah, but where's Castle?" Julia asked. When her mother and Alexis explained what was going to happen the next day, she smiled and said, "That's a good surprise. I bet his face is gonna go all funny. Where are you gonna sleep tonight?"_

_"With you," Beckett said simply. "The bed's a little small, but she doesn't take much room."_

_"That's fine," Alexis said._

_"Do you go to sleep now?" Julia asked, looking eager._

_"Not yet, but you need to sweetie," Beckett said. "Say goodnight to Alexis and I'll tuck you in."_

_"Night, I'm happy, happy you're home," Julia said, hugging her tightly around the neck.  
"Goodnight Julia, believe me I am too," Alexis said, kissing her cheek before Julia kissed hers._

_"Go ahead and eat something if you want," Beckett said. "There are some leftovers from dinner; Chinese. And get whatever you'd like to drink."_

_"Thanks," Alexis said, waving at Julia who was doing the same to her over her mother's shoulder._

_"Oh Mommy, why can't I stay up?" Julia asked as her mother was tucking her bed sheet around her. "Alexis hasn't been home in forever."_

_"I know, but she'll be here tomorrow and we're going to the park remember? And she'll be there with Castle and Martha," Beckett reminded her, sitting next to her on the edge of the bed._

_"I forgot something, Alexis!" Julia suddenly called, sitting up. "The papers Mommy," she explained when Beckett tried to get her to lay down again._

_"What's wrong?" Alexis asked, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "Sorry, I'm starving; I skipped dinner so I could sleep on the plane."_

_"She wanted me to give this to you," Beckett said, handing over the papers._

_"It's…" Alexis started to say before her eyes widened. "The song list?"_

_"Paul and George have a lot of songs that work for weddings," Beckett said, unable to help smiling at her reaction. "Believe me, we tried to tell her she didn't need so many, but she insisted."_

_"'Cause they're perfect for Mommy and Castle," Julia said from the bed, having been watching them._

_"I think we'll need to listen to them, all four of us together, because I was planning on doing that with a smaller list. But you and Dad should know a lot of these by now," Alexis said._

_"I know them all," Beckett said simply. "But your dad might not, we'll need to see."_

_"Goodnight Julia, I'll start looking at the list now while I eat okay?" Alexis said._

_"Kay, night," Julia replied, settling down in bed again. She squirmed after the young woman had left and then said, "Mommy, can I ask a question?"_

_"Go ahead," Beckett said, fixing the sheet around her._

_"Will Grandpapa be Alexis' grandpapa?" Julia asked. "When you and Castle get married?"_

_"He'll be her step-grandfather," Beckett said. "Since I'll be her stepmother."_

_"Oh, I forgot," Julia said before she mused a little to her mother's smile. "I'm glad you're a nice mommy, that way she doesn't have an evil stepmother."_

_"I don't think Castle would want to marry me if I was evil," Beckett said, unable to keep the laughter out of her voice at how serious her daughter was. "Is that all you wanted to ask?" she said, to make sure there wouldn't be any more interruptions in getting her to sleep._

_"One more," Julia said quickly. "Does she have a present for him tomorrow?"_

_"I don't know, if she does, it's because she brought it from San Francisco, not because it's Father's Day," Beckett said. "Now you need to sleep," she told Julia firmly. She leaned down and shared a kiss with her before pulling back and saying, "I love you Julia, sweet dreams."_

_"I love you too Mommy," Julia said with a sleepy sigh. Her mother stood up to leave, and she whispered, "Will Castle be mad if I don't call him daddy?"_

_"No," Beckett said simply, turning and not too surprised at the question. "We're letting you say it when you're ready to. Are you?" When Julia shook her head no, her already wide green eyes wider in her panic, she said, "Then he won't be expecting it."_

_"Even as a surprise?" Julia asked._

_"Even as a surprise," Beckett said. "We know you're waiting like we are sweetie. Now sleep, I'll let Alexis wake you up tomorrow. Night."_

_"Night," Julia said before her mother turned off the light and closed the door. She sighed at that, and turned onto her side, hoping Beckett was right._

_"So how was that dinner with your friend?" Alexis asked, still eating when Beckett came out into the living room._

_"It was fine, you can sit over here, watch TV if you want," Beckett told her as she sat on the couch._

_"I'm planning on leaving early tomorrow morning," Alexis said as she sat at the coffee table in one of the armchairs. "And I'll wait by home in a coffee shop until it gets close to the time we're supposed to meet you at the zoo."_

_"You're sure you wouldn't want to do something before that with your dad? You could go earlier instead of just sitting and waiting," Beckett suggested._

_"That's okay," Alexis said. "I'll stick to the plan. Speaking of planning, besides that list, anything else new for the wedding?"_

_"We discussed that, and we've got everything done that we can right now," Beckett replied. "But when we head to the Hamptons, we'll check out where on the beach we'll want the ceremony."_

_"Are you going to get the license there?" Alexis asked._

_"The morning of, very early," Beckett said. "We figure that's the one thing we should rush. Also having it there at the Hamptons we're hoping will give us some time before the media will find out."_

_"I thought he was crazy when he told me how worried he was about that, the media bothering you once you were married," Alexis said. "But with that article that had you in it too, I bet they'd love starting to nose into our lives. I can just see it, paparazzi hounding me, asking if I knew about you two, if my dad ignored me or if you were pushing me away from him."_

_"Were you listening to Julia's questions?" Beckett asked in amusement at Alexis' delivery of what the media might ask._

_"I did, sorry," Alexis said. "But it's quiet so I couldn't help overhear. You're right though, actually the first two answers to her questions. He will be my step-grandfather and you're definitely not an evil stepmother. You wouldn't be a month and a half from your wedding if you were. Though you know he's being tortured with that right?"_

_Beckett didn't reply to that at first, and she studied the young woman before saying, "You don't think I'm trying to delay the wedding do you?"_

_"A part of me is," Alexis said slowly._

_"That's my fault, you're looking at how I was in the past," Beckett replied, smiling in understanding when she saw that Castle's daughter looked a little guilty in thinking that. "But I'm being tortured too. It's just… a lot of our relationship has been us working together, we can't just stop. Or your dad can't," she corrected herself quickly._

_"You could still, I mean if he had to stop working with you at the NYPD," Alexis said. When Beckett looked at her questioningly she said, "You could always try and write with him," wondering what kind of reaction she'd get from that._

_"You know it's funny, I have helped him and I gave him a paragraph once," Beckett said, very obviously declining to mention the paragraph and the circumstance which she'd told him it. "And we've talked about his ideas he's gotten. But I can't see myself as a writer. For one thing, I'd be too busy with work to write. But it's an interesting idea."_

_"So how's Lanie," Alexis said, nodding to what Beckett had said._

_"Oh boy, so your dad or Lanie herself didn't tell you," Beckett said with a smile._

_"Tell me what?" Alexis asked in confusion._

_"About your dad's blind date and mine that she and Esposito set us up on," Beckett said in a matter of fact tone of voice._

_Alexis was startled to hear that, and shook her head once before saying, "You better explain that, because you're still engaged."_

_Beckett smiled a little wider at that, and quickly clarified what had happened on their blind date and how they'd left to have dinner together on the rooftop of his building. "So Lanie's promised to stop trying to set us up, and we understand a little better why she was doing that, and why Esposito was going along with it like he was," she finished with after telling her about her conversation with Lanie._

_"Wow, that's pretty amazing," Alexis said. "Though if I were you I would have just gone through the date, would have gotten a nice dinner out of it."_

_"We still did," Beckett said with a shrug, though she was smiling again since she knew the young woman was joking. "So I'm wondering could I have a look at your sitar at all?" she asked._

_"Sure," Alexis said. "Though I wonder if you'd mind answering something for me."_

_"Go ahead, I seem to be doing that a lot tonight," Beckett said, watching as the young woman went to get the instrument in its case._

_"I don't know if you can answer this though," Alexis said, coming back and setting the case down on the table._

_"I'm guessing from that it's about your dad, our relationship?" Beckett asked._

_"It's going back to what you said before, about how you were with him in the past," Alexis said. "I'm worried you might… get fed up with him, he can be a little…"_

_"A smart ass? Pardon my language there, but I think it's what you're trying to say," Beckett said, holding the stringed instrument in her hands. When Alexis nodded she said, "He's changed, actually since I first met him he's changed, but more so since Julia came into our lives. I'm getting the feeling he was the same with you."_

_"But he didn't have a wife constantly to make that change stick," Alexis said quickly. "I was only three when he and my mom got divorced." She noticed her dad's fiancée start to speak, but then hesitate. "They agreed to do that actually, I have vague memories of me and my dad asking her to come home; coming pretty close to begging sometimes; because I missed her and he wanted her here to be with me."_

_"But not to be with you both," Beckett stated hearing what she didn't say loudly._

_"No, by then he was a little fed up and uneasy with how she was as a mom, you've met her so you have an idea of how she is," Alexis said. "She's not horrible, she never hurt me physically or emotionally, she was just more like a friend than a mother. She and Dad had me very young and she was just the kind of person who wasn't really going to mature enough to be a mother like you are."_

_"Um, thank you Alexis, but what is it you want with that compliment?" Beckett asked, a little startled._

_"Nothing, I'm serious, I'm actually kind of jealous of my little sister, I wish you and Dad had met sooner," Alexis commented. "I know," she said quickly as Beckett tried to speak again. "You would have been very young to be a stepmother then, but still. Anyways, the divorce was something they talked about; not argued because my dad didn't really want to make it any more difficult than it would be for me. So it was amicable."_

_"And Gina?" Beckett asked, wondering why she was tormenting herself with that question, strumming the strings as softly as she could._

_Alexis nodded to the door to the rooms, and when Beckett nodded, she went to close it, allowing her to play the sitar a little. "It's a little difficult," she said with a smile as Beckett cringed at the sound she was making with the strings. She took it and sat on the couch next to her, playing a few chords she'd learned. "Very difficult, I asked Dani about playing Norwegian Wood or Within You Without You, and he said it was going to take time to get to that. But I had promise."_

_"You know how to play the violin, so that might help you," Beckett said._

_"It might," Alexis said. "But about Gina, she and my dad were… a little strange actually, since they got back together." She was surprised when Beckett crossed her legs, looking a little uneasy, and she said, "I think he married her because he liked the idea, and got back together with her because he was desperate and she wouldn't leave him alone about his book."_

_"But after that?" Beckett asked._

_"Apparently they were arguing a lot, which they did when they were married too, I remember a lot of disagreements. A lot of them about me, which was just great," Alexis said in sarcastic joy. "Gina tried a little too hard to be my mom, and also she would forget… or she planned it, I don't know, but she wouldn't talk to my dad about things about me like that doll they argued over, he's told you the story."_

_Nodding, as her fiancé had told her the story when they'd been looking for the game Perfection together at the toy store, Beckett then said, "So I'm wondering now if you're worried I'm going to hold myself back with your dad. Is that the problem you're seeing between us?" When Alexis nodded once she said, "You know, it's funny, I always did that in my relationships, maybe once in a while, if I thought I could really let go of the fear I had trapped myself in, I told a boyfriend something I hadn't told another. But it was never enough. Your dad knows more about me than they ever did, but what's become different, and is making me shake that instinct more and more is the fact that he's not using it for his books, which was an idea I hated. But now… actually, I'm learning more and more about him than I thought I would. Maybe I'll become his biographer."_

_"Oh, I don't think you want to do that," Alexis said seriously. She glanced at Beckett and they both started to laugh before she put her sitar away._

_"How did you get that on the plane I have to ask," Beckett said._

_"I had to pay extra for it too, but it's worth it, she's beautiful isn't she?" Alexis said, running her hand over the raised strings._

_"You have a name for her?" Beckett asked. "I ask because your dad insisted I name my mandolin."_

_"So you don't mind his sense of humor?" Alexis asked._

_"It's one of the things I love about him," Beckett said simply. "And in case you're wondering, I made him decide with me since I just ignored him. He's a funny man when he's irritated."_

_"Believe me, I have my share of stories like that," Alexis said, laughter in her voice. "What'd he insist you name her?"_

_"Well, at first Yvonne; and I threatened him with a night on the couch for that one since-" Beckett started to say._

_"I know, I've heard that song through Julia, though think it's a good idea for her to hear a song about a woman who fools around with other men?" Alexis asked._

_Shrugging, Beckett said, "Luckily she doesn't understand a lot of that. So finally he suggested Lucille, and to get him to stop I agreed. Plus I do love Paul's version of Lucille." Her phone rang then and she looked down at it on the coffee table before making an exasperated noise in the back of her throat. "Sorry, I told him I'd call him, but apparently he's impatient; as usual. Castle, I told you… well, yeah, but… okay, okay, just give me a second, Maddie stayed a little longer. Okay, I love you too; I'm in my bathroom! I love you Castle, bye," she said to Alexis quickly before talking on the phone to her fiancé. "Sorry."_

_"No, it's okay," Alexis said with a slight laugh. "I should probably head to bed though, get some sleep and hope I don't have any jet lag."_

_"Alright, so are you getting up earlier than eight?" Beckett asked as she watched the young woman take her sitar in its case back to the entry._

_"No, that's a good enough time, I'll get Julia up. And you can have the day off getting her ready, I'll help her," Alexis said._

_"She'll love that, she's missed her sister," Beckett replied with a smile as they walked to the door to the rooms. She turned when she felt Alexis touching her arm and saw her hesitating to speak. "Something else to ask?"_

_"No," Alexis said simply. "I was going to tell you, that my dad loves you, a lot, and I just hope he's not seeming like he's too… like he needs you around all the time."_

_"Don't worry, we talk on the phone a lot when we're not at each other's homes," Beckett said, smiling a little at her worry. "So we're not going down that path if you're talking about him becoming possessive."_

_"Sort of, I'm just glad you're the same pretty much," Alexis said._

_"I would take out the words pretty much," Beckett said. "Welcome home Alexis, good night."_

_"Thanks for letting me stay with my little sister Beckett, night," Alexis said, starting to turn to Julia's room. She paused and said, "Would you want me to keep calling you that?"_

_"It depends on you, call me what you'd like, just nothing… negative would be nice," Beckett said before her phone shook with a new text. "I'd better get to bed," she said, pursing her lips to fight her smile at her fiancé asking what she was wearing. "Night."_

_Murmuring a good night, Alexis stood in the doorway to Julia's room, watching as Beckett was saying into her phone in a mock scolding tone of voice, "Rick, calling me love isn't going to make me ask you to come over." She nearly laughed at that, a little surprised they'd gone into endearments with each other after so many years calling each other by their last names. But it hit home what she'd been hoping was a viable fact; that Beckett was as in love with her dad as her dad was in love with his fiancée. Breathing a sigh of relief; since she wanted her dad to be as happy as he was with Beckett for as long as possible; she went into the room to sleep over in Julia's bed instead of vice versa._

_Sitting on the edge of her bed, Beckett was smiling saying, "I don't think so Castle, you know I don't really go for the whole phone sex thing."_

_"You're playing with your pendant aren't you?" Castle said._

_"Okay," Beckett sighed, switching to the screen. When she saw her fiancé she said, "See, I'm not naked."_

_"Too bad, would have been awesome to see. Okay, then really quick since you want to go to bed. First, I love you, and second, tell me about tonight," Castle said quickly._

_Rolling her eyes though she was smiling, Beckett lay back on his side of the bed and said, "Alright, she was more eager to meet Julia, and once she saw her, the squealing…" the smile not leaving her face as she saw the answering one on Castle's._

* * *

"So how was it this morning?" Castle asked as they were walking into the tropic zone section of the zoo.

"Interesting, I walked into Julia's room to find someone jumping on the bed…" Beckett said, looking at Alexis and Julia ahead of them.

"Alexis, how could you, and it's not even your bed," Castle said in feigned shock.

"It was me," Julia said, hurrying back to them and holding her arms up until he picked her up. She shared a kiss with him and said, "Forgot to say morning. And Happy Father's Day again."

"That's okay, we haven't been here for a while," Castle said. "And Alexis, why didn't you join in with Julia?"

Shaking her head, Alexis said, "I'm a little old for that Dad. And she wasn't jumping for too long, not once her mom came in."

Giggling Julia said, "Mommy made me help her straighten the bed, 'cause Alexis and I made it already."

"Sounds like you had fun then," Castle said. "Want me to put you down?"

"Yeah, the animals are on the ground, the ones I wanna see," Julia said. Once he'd set her down she ran to Alexis, and they stood at a railing, looking at some coati who were sniffing around some leaves in the exhibit.

"She was staying close to Alexis all morning," Beckett commented with a smile as she and Castle stood together a little further down, to have at least a moment relatively alone.

"Ah, then she must be like me, afraid she's going to go back to San Francisco if we let her out of our sight," Castle commented. "But it was a great surprise, thank you for letting her stay at your place."

"I wasn't about to turn her out," Beckett said, shaking her head. "But I'm wondering, now she's back, will she mind sharing her bed with Julia?"

"I won't," Alexis said, coming over to them since Julia was hurrying along the exhibit with one coati as it walked along the fence. "She asked me that earlier actually, confessed that she likes my bed better than hers."

"Most likely because it's bigger," Beckett said before they continued down the path to the next animal once Julia had gotten enough pictures.

"We'll have to get her a bigger bed when we move," Castle mused. "You know, I have to wonder if she will be tall, her mother was wasn't she?"

"About five-seven if I'm remembering correctly, and her father was six feet tall," Beckett said. "But you know, she could take after a member of the family who was short, we won't know yet. Though I agree with you, we need to get her a bigger bed; I only have that one in her room because it's all that fits. Luckily she doesn't seem to mind having such a small room."

"Well at only five she's not going to spend much time there anyways," Castle commented.

"Plus we're rarely there at all," Beckett said. "Anyways, you don't want to go with them?"

"Actually, I'm okay for now, I don't need to spend time alone with them every second," Castle said. "I'd love to spend time with the entire family. Plus, your dad is a father too… that sounded weird. He should spend time with Julia too. And if you meant instead if I wanted to walk with them, we have more to see of the zoo."

Shaking her head, Beckett went with him to a habitat with a brightly colored anole and she watched as her father was talking with Julia, looking at her camera before letting her take a picture of the reptile. She heard Castle breathe in to speak, and she beat him to it saying, "It was fun." She smiled as she turned to him and said, "It felt strange though, we haven't celebrated today for a while, well, we haven't done something for Father's Day like this. It didn't feel right to either of us to do much more than me give him a gift and cook dinner for us."

"How'd he like your gifts?" Castle asked, knowing about them already since she and Julia had told him about them.

"He loved the picture of the three of us," Beckett said. "Since he didn't have one framed like that yet, it's in his office now. And he's taking the picture of Julia with the frame she made to work to put on his desk."

"I thought he would," Castle said before they moved on to the next animal.

"Look, we saw these in San Francisco," Julia said eagerly, turning to her mother and Castle. "Alexis said they're lemurs too."

"They are adorable," Martha said, before one of the lemurs started to let out its call. "Well, except for that."

"It says here early explorers to Madagascar; where these are from," Castle was reading from the plaque for Julia. "Thought they were groans from the dead."

"That's silly, they're animals, not people," Julia said.

"I know, but they didn't know about these yet," Castle said.

"Look at the birdies! Can I-" Julia began to say when she caught sight of a bird with feathers at the top of its head. She squealed for a moment when he swung her up on his shoulders, and then immediately started taking pictures.

"She's just like you Dad," Beckett said, standing with him as they watched Julia take a picture of a Red Bird-of-Paradise.

"She is, and she has the patience I lost as I got older," Jim commented as Julia and Castle stayed at the bird to wait for it to open its wings. "I'm starting to remember more and more why I loved photography now I'm going with her through the city."

Taking her dad's arm, Beckett squeezed it gently saying, "That's the great thing about having a kid."

"I almost thought you were going to take after me," Jim commented as Castle walked back to him.

"Kate was into photography?" Castle asked as he handed Julia to her grandfather.

"I was, for a little," Beckett said slowly as she waited for the others to go ahead, leaving them alone to look at a large Tamandua on a branch. "Sorry," she said as she noticed her fiancé was looking at her in slight concern. "I'm trying to remember if I ever took any pictures back then that you've seen, and actually you have."

"The one of your parents?" Castle asked, not too surprised to hear that.

"It was a Christmas gift before I went to Stanford, and that was my first picture with my dad's camera," Beckett said, smiling. "I took it that night."

"I don't think there was an almost taking after your father," Castle commented. "I think you did, that picture is amazing. And I'm not saying that to compliment you, it's true."

Nodding a little, Beckett said, "We should go, they're already leaving."

Castle let her start down the path again after their family, and he resisted the urge to reach over to take her hand. He suddenly got an idea and strode a little after her to catch up with her before he held his arm out to her. "Path's a little uneven," he commented when his fiancée looked at his arm then him.

Since the path was as smooth as it could possibly be, Beckett couldn't help fight a smile as she took his arm, letting her hand rest on the crook of his elbow. Squeezing gently, she wasn't surprised when he brought his arm closer to himself, and she didn't let go until they reached the next section of the zoo. She went with her dad, walking with him and talking with him about his last trial before they reached the pond with turtles and birds, Julia taking a number of pictures as they stood behind her.

Turning to watch Beckett walk down the path by herself, Castle commented, "You ever want a turtle?"

"No, I just like watching them," Beckett said with a smile. "Again, we're good with Kauai."

"I still think I need to buy you a horse and Julia a pony," Castle said.

Shaking her head Beckett said simply, "They aren't pets."

"Still, I had to try," Castle said. "We should probably go riding on the Fourth."

"Maybe we can go on our own. You don't know if Rebecca and David would want to ride," Beckett pointed out.

"That's true, and since they'll," Castle said, nodding to their parents and Alexis who were with Julia looking at the Red Pandas. "Be there with us, they can watch Julia, unless you'd like her to come with us?"

"Actually, I'd like us to ride alone," Beckett said. "So we have to think of something else to do."

"Why don't we just swim?" Julia asked. She smiled when her mother and Castle looked down at her and she said, "I'm done looking at the pandas, can we see the leopards now?"

Sharing a look, Beckett took one of their daughter's hands, and Castle took the other as they walked down to where their parents and Alexis were waiting for them, swinging Julia in between them to her cry of joy.

* * *

Leaning against the railing of the King Penguin exhibit, Julia watched her mother and Castle who were sitting on a bench behind her, talking quietly together. She smiled as she remembered when they'd split up after lunch, Castle and Alexis going to see the Polar Bears again with Martha before meeting up there at the indoor penguin exhibit. She was alone with them, her grandfather, Martha and Alexis going ahead of them. Watching the penguins that were standing in their exhibit, Julia watched a baby start shaking before it waddled away. She yawned then, and turned to see if they were still on the bench when she jumped off the railing discovering them behind her. "You were so quiet," she said in surprise as they were quick to steady her together.

"I think you were distracted, and tired," Castle said, picking her up. "Need a nap?"

"No," Julia said quickly. "Can we go now to see the other zoo?"

"The Children's Zoo," Beckett corrected out of habit. Ever since the first time she'd brought Julia there, the little girl had called the Children's Zoo the other zoo; likely because they had to go out of the main part of the zoo. "Yes, let's go, or else we won't have time for Coney Island." They set off, seeing their parents and Alexis waiting for them at the path toward the zoo, and she said, "Are you still planning on cooking?"

"I am, I have everything set, and I am as prepared to make _paella_ as I can possibly be," Castle said as they neared the others.

"You're making that tonight?" Jim asked.

"Whoops," Castle said, looking at his fiancée since he knew she'd wanted that to be a surprise for him. "Yeah, I am actually, we had Spanish food the other night and were discussing how you had _paella_ outside usually when you're over in Spain. So decided to take advantage of the weather, and try and see if we can make it."

"Although you know men traditionally make it," Jim said with a slight smile.

"We're going to try and see if we can't break that tradition," Castle said jokingly, wondering if Beckett's father was remembering when his wife had made the dish.

"Probably, I told you I'm not that bad a cook," Beckett said quickly, noticing the look on her dad's face as well.

"True, I guess I should pay attention?" Castle asked.

"You should, you never know what might happen," Beckett said simply. She tried not to smile as his gaze shot to her since she'd been trying to be suggestive but not overtly so, and she walked ahead of him to walk with her dad.

"Do you wish you could kiss Mommy right now?" Julia whispered as they neared the gates to the Children's Zoo.

Wondering if the little girl had picked up on what his and Beckett's flirting was even when it was subtle, Castle smiled slightly and waited to answer until they were actually in the zoo. Once there he set her down after kissing her cheek saying, "Very much so." He was pleased to see her wide smile at that, and guessed she had worries about him and her mother not getting married. Jumping a little, he turned to Alexis who had come over to him and had touched his arm to get his attention.

"Don't want to come with us Dad?" she asked him.

"Oh are you kidding? Nothing I wanted to do more today than spend the day with my daughters. Now Julia can't go on the Cyclone, but you and I are going on a ride," Castle replied, wrapping his arm around her to shake his thoughts.

"In the back?" Alexis asked with a smile.

"I'm not sure where else you're supposed to ride that," Beckett said. She smiled when the two looked at her in surprise and said, "Sorry, I heard you mention the Cyclone-"

"You owe me a ride," Castle said, cutting her off.

"For what reason?" Beckett asked.

"Just because," Castle said. He laughed when she pushed at him and said, "No but seriously, I do want to take a ride with you."

"I'll bet you twenty you'll get a black eye," Beckett said.

"You're on," Castle said, shaking her hand.

Seeing Alexis shaking her head at them, Beckett said, "Another reason I came over, Julia wants to take a picture with you at the turtle shell."

"Oh sure," Alexis said, going to where Julia was waiting with Jim and Martha at the hollow turtle shell. "Who's taking the picture?" she asked as she helped the little girl into it and followed her.

Julia giggled when she heard her camera and three cell phone cameras go off saying, "I think they all are."

"They are," Alexis said, helping her out. She took her hand and pulled her to the sheep, getting food for her and Julia before she called to the sheep that soon ran over towards them.

Taking pictures with Julia's camera, Jim watched as the two then hurried down the path, to the goats. He was going to follow, when he felt his daughter come up to him. "Are we letting them go on their own?" he asked.

"No, just not rushing over," Beckett said as her fiancé walked with his mother ahead of them. "Are you coming to Coney Island?"

"Of course, Martha as well, we discussed it, and since she was sure he would convince you to ride the Cyclone, we decided to watch Julia for you two so you can go," Jim replied.

"She knows her son so well," Beckett said, amusement tingeing her tone of voice. She smiled at her dad before she turned to Castle who was calling her name, walking up to them. "You-" she started to say when he took her hand, pouring some dried corn into it. "Castle," she said before he was pulling her by her free hand to the railing where their daughters were feeding some of the miniature goats.

Looking back at Jim, Castle mimed taking a picture and when the man nodded, realized that he was holding Beckett's hand with their fingers entwined. "Sorry," he said, though he was very reluctant to let go of her.

"That's okay," Beckett said, biting her lower lip slightly. "And I don't mind him taking pictures of us all," she said to him.

Flashing a quick smile at her, Castle knelt next to Julia and they began to help her and Alexis feed the goats. He couldn't help it and he kissed Julia's temple as she giggled at one of the tiny kids that was beginning to kick and leap around in a circle. He turned at the sound of the little girl's camera going off and smiled wider that time as he thought that was going to be a great picture; Beckett at that same moment leaning against him, her hand on his shoulder as Alexis was pointing to the goat next to Julia. It was a family picture, and he reminded himself that now Alexis was back, they needed more of those and more moments just like that to take pictures of, finding himself suddenly anticipating it more than he had expected.

* * *

"There they go," Martha said, laughing slightly. "I don't know how you could miss her hair."

"You can't," Beckett said, shaking her head as she could hear Castle's yell.

"Mommy, why is he gonna get a black eye?" Julia asked.

"Have you never come with him?" Martha asked.

"We have, but he's never gone on it twice," Beckett explained. "We almost did last time we came here with my dad," she nodded to him as he was waiting with them. "But sweetie, going twice, it's more likely he's going to be thrown around a lot."

"Especially in the back," Jim commented. "I've had my fair share of black eyes."

"Isn't that sad to get?" Julia said. "And on Father's Day too!"

"Oh I wouldn't worry about him kiddo, to him it'll be a badge of honor," Martha said.

"Okay, I better go to meet him at the line. Are you sure you don't want to go on a ride with Alexis?" Beckett asked since she could tell the car was back at the station. When Julia nodded, she hurried to the line entrance where Castle was jogging to. "No black eye?" she teased him as they slowed down to walk together.

"There's time," Castle said, looking around as they were walking through the line. When he saw the end of the line ahead of them, he pulled his fiancée to the shadows, and cupping her face in his hands said, "Time for this too. Sorry; just in case." He then kissed her deeply, tilting his head to the side as they took no notice of anyone walking past them. He took his fill until they couldn't breathe anymore, and then pulled back slowly before they walked on.

Breathing harshly as they stood in line, Beckett licked her swollen lower lip, understanding why he'd done that, since she herself had wanted to do the same. She eventually realized they were a little too quiet, so she quickly said, "So how was writing yesterday, or did you just learn how to cook _paella_."

Taking the chance while the people around them were busy moving ahead in the line, Castle took her hand and held it until they stopped, smiling as she glanced back at him. He said, "I spent a lot of time learning, I have to get it just right. To tell you the truth, I'm worried your dad might remember doing that with your mom, so I'm hoping with Julia there, and my sharp sense of humor, and you keeping me in check, we might be able to help him-"

"Create a new memory," Beckett said with a smile. "I'm hoping too." That time as they walked nearer to the front of the line, she entwined her fingers with his, just for a moment, but that was enough.

Standing as close to the ride as they could outside, Julia jumped up and down against Alexis, holding the young woman's hands that were on her shoulders. Looking up at her, she smiled and corrected herself, then asking her big sister, "Are they there yet?"

"We'll see them, they'll be in the very back row," Alexis promised her.

It took a little longer, but finally another line of cars passed by them, and Julia cried out in joy as she quickly saw her mother's red blouse in the last row of the last car. She jumped again in front of Alexis, watching her mother and Castle being jolted around the track before they finally disappeared from sight completely. "Oh, I hope they're having fun!" she said breathlessly as they then walked to the exit to meet them.

"There they are," Alexis said, looking at her dad once she saw him and Beckett coming to them. She looked at his face, and then had to laugh, turning away from them as he heard her and shook his head.

"So I'm assuming that twenty dollars has been exchanged between you two?" Martha asked with a smile as she could see the bruise forming below her son's right eye.

"Yeah, she's got it already," Castle said, glancing at his fiancée. "It was that last turn that got me, I must have forgotten to brace myself."

"Your head was flopping around like a rag doll's," Beckett said. She laughed when he pretended to grab at her, and then said, "Okay, so I was thinking of treating everyone to some lemonade, since it's pretty hot and he needs some ice."

"Are we still going on rides now?" Julia asked as they started to walk to the lemonade stand.

"We are, I'm hoping I get to go on that roller coaster with you," Castle said as Julia was walking in between him and Alexis.

"Yeah, I wanna go with you first Alexis, and then you Castle, then Grandpapa and last Mommy if Martha doesn't want to go," Julia said happily.  
"I'll go, but your mother will still be last," Martha said. "What?" she said to everyone else who was looking at her in surprise. "I used to go on the little kiddie roller coasters with Alexis, and I'd like to go with my other granddaughter as well."

"Good thing we got the wristbands," Alexis said.

"Do you two want to go on the other rides?" Beckett asked as they got in line.

"Actually, I'm thinking of bringing you and Julia back here," Castle said to Alexis. "Tomorrow since it should be a lot less crowded, you're going to be doing prep work for the Custer trial right?" he said, directing the last to Beckett.

"I will, but, I might be able to get out a little earlier," Beckett said. "We could get dinner at Nathan's and take it to the beach."

"That's a good idea, can we?" Julia asked excitedly.

"We can, and I'll get you guys the wristbands again," Castle said.

"I'll come with you Richard," Martha said. "So you two can go on the more extreme rides while I take Julia to the rides that are better for us."

"Like the roller coaster?" Julia asked her.

"Exactly," Martha said, pulling the little girl to her for a hug.

After Beckett had bought them all frozen lemonade, she got a bag of ice for Castle, handing it to her daughter while she paid. Since her mother had given the money for it, Julia took her drink and the bag in one hand, and led Castle over to where there were some tables, making him sit before he placed her on his lap.

"Thank you sweetheart," he said when she placed the ice under his eye. "Don't forget your drink."

"Does it hurt a lot?" Julia asked him.

"Oh no, it's fine, but it'll be there for a while," Castle said. "That's what happens when you forget how the ride is." He saw that she looked a little concerned still and he took the ice from her before he kissed the top of her head.

"He's pretty tough sweetie," Beckett said, sitting next to Castle. "I don't think you need to worry."

"Kay, but you can go on the roller coaster with me right?" Julia asked. When he nodded she then said hurriedly, "And the swings?" glancing at her mother out of the corner of her eye.

"You want to try that one?" Beckett asked, smoothing down some of Julia's hair.

"Yeah, can I go on that?" she asked eagerly.

"I think you just barely make the height requirement," Jim said.

"And you Grandpapa? Go with me?" Julia asked. "And-" she started to say in excitement.

"We'll all go," Martha said.

"Speaking of which, we should go now before we run out of time," Beckett said since she saw they'd all finished their lemonades. She smiled as Castle swung Julia up onto his shoulders and they led the way to the roller coaster.

"Do you all go on too?" Julia asked as she took Alexis' hand to go with her first.

"We'll take turns to-" Beckett started to say before Castle was pulling her by the wrist into line with them. "Aren't we a little big for this?"

"You never are," Castle said as Julia hugged Beckett around the waist. "And I think you wanted us to go too," he commented at seeing the smile on their daughter's face.

"Yeah, but I thought you were too big too," Julia said. "I'm glad you're not."

Sighing as she couldn't argue with that sentiment, Beckett knelt in front of her daughter and shared a kiss with her before they continued on down the line. She let herself lean against Castle slightly as they stood still again, watching as Alexis started to teach Julia a hand clapping game to pass the time. She then turned to her fiancé and said, "You're okay with bringing her back?"

"Yeah, it's the first day of her summer vacation; why not start with an amusement park?" Castle said. "Plus, I want to spend time with them both."

"Can we go on the water ride?" Julia asked. "I'm big enough aren't I?"

"I thought you didn't want to go on the drop?" Castle said.

"No, but if we go all of us then I'll go, I won't be scared," Julia said. "Pleeease?"

"We'll see how tomorrow goes," Beckett said with a smile, as she could tell the little girl was serious. They were at the loading platform, so she couldn't say anything more about that, since she and Castle were getting into the row before the last in front of where their daughters were sitting.

Crying out in joy as they rushed over the track after going up the hill, Julia saw that Alexis was holding up her arms as they started to go around in circles, and she did the same. "Again!" she cried when they came back to where they'd started.

"You will, with Castle," Beckett said with a smile as Julia jumped up to him.

Picking her up, Castle wrapped his arm around Alexis, shooting his fiancée an apologetic look. He was relieved by the gentle squeeze to the back of his arm, and he turned to Julia, listening to her tell him excitedly about the ride, though he'd just gone on it himself. He couldn't help it, and he kissed Julia's temple as they walked out of the exit, and then went back in line together.

* * *

"Can we play the frog game first?" Julia asked excitedly as she was skipping in between Castle and Beckett.

"We can, but sweetie, you need to take it easy with the prizes okay?" Beckett asked. "Or else your bed won't be anything but stuffed animals."

"That's how her bed was," Castle said, nodding to Alexis.

"He's right, it was," the young woman said with a laugh. "But we'll see what we can get today."

Coming up to the stall, Castle gave the card he had bought for them to play the games, and let Jim help his granddaughter with the fishing pole she was given. "What are you playing for?" he said, since Alexis had another fishing pole.

"A toy, I can always donate it Dad," she replied with a smile. "If Julia doesn't get something."

"I doubt that," Martha said as they looked to see that Julia was pulling up a blue frog. "Wonderful job kiddo," she said.

Giggling, Julia pointed to a little stuffed white tiger at the top of the stall, and took it from the worker. "Thank you Grandpapa," she said as they watched Alexis, who seemed to be waiting.

"You're welcome, you'll have to let me know what you name this little guy," Jim replied, carrying her.

By then Alexis had picked up a yellow frog, and she was able to pick out the same sized prize as Julia had. She chose an orange and black striped tiger, and handed it to her little sister. "For you, pick out matching names okay?" she asked.

"Oh, thank you Alexis," Julia said, her eyes wide in surprise. When her mother took the tigers for her, she leaned over until her sister took her, and she hugged her tightly saying, "I'm so happy you came home."

"Not as happy as me," Alexis said, smiling brightly. She kissed Julia's cheek as the little girl kissed hers, and pulling back said, "Let's see what else we can get."

"Let's play the water game!" Julia said eagerly. "Oh, wait, I know what I want to name them!" she said as they all started to head over to the game. "Paul and Linda. Paul is orange and black and Linda is white and black."

"Perfect names," Beckett said, not surprised at her choice. "Now I know why she waited until now to name one of her stuffed animals Paul."

"It makes sense though, Paul and Linda just go together," Castle said, smiling as she shook her head.

"You're sure you don't want to eat here tonight?" Beckett said as they were walking at the back of the group.

"I'll eat here tomorrow," Castle assured her. "And after learning how to cook this, I really want to try it out."

"So you're really going to try to cook _paella_?" Jim asked. "Not just have one that's ready-made? I almost thought you were kidding earlier."

"Try being the keyword there, but yeah," Castle said. "I went to a Spanish market, Despaña, in SoHo. One of the guys at the meat counter was really helpful, they call him _Valenciano_. That means he's from Valencia right?"

"It does," Beckett said. "And you'll have to tell me where in SoHo this place is, I'd love to go."

"I would too," Jim replied.

"Okay, so they actually have ready to make _paellas_ , but when I was pretty firm on wanting to make it from scratch they got _Valenciano_ , a great guy though his accent is thick and he mixes up Spanish and English, but I have it. I have everything I need, have instructions on how to prepare things, and I'm ready," Castle said. "And also managed to pick up some other things for our dinner too. So I'm eager to cook, well, for us to cook."

"Just realize that it might be a little difficult the first time you make it," Jim said.

"We'll keep that in mind," Castle said, nodding. As Beckett's dad joined the others at the game, he turned to his fiancée and said, "I'm ready if you are."

Shaking her head as he sounded a little too serious, Beckett replied simply, "So am I. Now come on, after winning that bet with you, I'm feeling lucky."

"Hoping I'll be eventually too," Castle commented in a low voice, unable to help watch her walk ahead of him, letting his eyes linger a little.

"Heard that," Beckett called back.

Castle cringed, but then laughed when she turned to him, and hurried after her to join their family to play.

* * *

"So now what?" Alexis was asking her dad and Beckett.

"Now we let it sit and wait," Castle said simply as they watched the yellow rice with chicken cooking in the _paellera_. It was later in the evening, though still light, and they were all on the roof of his building for dinner. He had the pan on a portable cooker in front of a bench, which he walked around to, to sit with his fiancée who immediately leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. "This stuff is pretty good," he commented, looking at his can of KAS soda.

"How much stuff did you end up buying at the store?" Beckett asked in amusement.

"Just enough for this dinner," Castle said. "They have a café, _tapas_ ; I forgot to tell you, so when I go back you're coming with me."

"Thanks, how about just asking if I wanted to go? You know I would say yes already," Beckett said simply.

"True," Castle said. He stood up then to stir the rice and check on the chicken before Julia skipped up to the other side of the pan. "Having fun?" he asked.

"Yeah, the cat's cradle is fun," Julia said, her cheeks red.

"Come here sweetie," Beckett said motioning to her. "And give me the saffron," she said, taking the little jar out of her hand. "You can't drop it; we need it if we're going to make _paella_ again."

"It's pretty, but it's red, why does it make the rice yellow?" Julia asked.

"Because of the dye it has in it," Jim said. When the three looked up at him he smiled and said, "That was explained to me the first time I saw them using the saffron in Spain. And it took some time to translate it."

"I can imagine," Beckett said as she watched Julia look at the jar of red strands in interest. "I would also imagine this is big in Spain."

"Very, since they make this all over," Jim said.

"Dad!" Alexis said, coming back out onto the roof with Martha and running to him. She hugged him tightly around the neck saying, "Thanks sooo much for the Lladro it's perfect."

"You saw the elephant?" Julia asked, sliding down from her mother's lap with her help.

"I did, did you help him pick it out?" Alexis asked the little girl.

"Yeah, they had Ganesha holding different instruments, but I said that was the best 'cause George played it too," Julia said. "Is… is that okay?" she asked in slight concern, wondering if that was the right instrument to have chosen the god to be holding in the statue.

Sharing a look with Beckett, Alexis went to her grandmother and set down the case on the small table that Castle and Beckett had used the week before. She took out her sitar and told her sister, "It's perfect, like I said."

Running over to her, Julia started to reach out and touch the instrument, but stopped, pulling back her hand. "Sorry," she whispered.

"No, go ahead, want to hold it, see if I can show you a chord?" Alexis asked. She laughed with the others when Julia seemed to wriggle once in excitement, nodding her head, and she went to some fabric, next to the case. "I use this to sit on, sit down with your legs crossed."

Watching as Julia sat down on the patterned fabric, Beckett saw that Castle was getting some rice from the pan, and she went over to him at his look. She let him feed her the bit of rice and nodded before saying, "After this."

Right," Castle said, reaching up and brushing a grain from the corner of her mouth. He looked into her eyes, and tried not to shudder as he remembered how when they'd gotten home he'd pulled her into his room to kiss her hard; wanting to suddenly do that again. He nearly jumped at the sound of music, and looked over quickly, seeing that Alexis was on her knees behind Julia, helping her hold her fingers around the neck of the sitar, and the other hand helping her strum it.

"Not bad," Beckett said, having to break from her gaze with Castle; thinking the same as he was at that moment. "But if you want to play that sweetie, you might need to wait a little so you can get taller to hold it."

"Yeah, it was heavy, but I wanna play my guitar and mandolin," Julia said. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," Alexis said. "Would you like to hold it?" she asked Beckett's father, seeing the desire to in the way he looked at the instrument.

"Thank you," Jim said, taking it from her.

Watching, Beckett smiled, but didn't really comment on it, knowing her father had always been interested in Indian music; mainly because of his interest in George Harrison's music. She had to wonder though, why he'd never gotten into playing instruments since it had been her mother that had taught her to play piano and also guitar. She shook herself as Alexis soon had the sitar back in its case, and said, "I think we can go ahead and eat now."

"Yeah, we can," Castle said. "And please be honest about this," he said as everyone gathered around the pan as he started to dish the yellow rice out. Once he'd had his own plate after serving everyone else first, he sat with Beckett at the bench, since the largest table on the roof only seated four. But they were close enough to them to see their daughter get a bigger second spoonful and eat it with relish.

"So?" Beckett asked, since by then everyone had taken more than one bite.

"We'll have to do this again Richard," Martha said. "Very interesting flavors."

"Tastes a lot like what I've had in Spain; though in Carbajales they put in other kinds of meat too. But this is great," Jim said.

"I like it," Julia said firmly, Alexis echoing her.

"Great, a delayed _salud_ ," Castle said, holding up his wine glass as he stood. He and Beckett tapped glasses with the others before sitting back down and he told her, "To summer."

"To summer," Beckett said, smiling at that. They tapped their glasses together, but she then leaned in, kissing him gently; tasting the saffron rice on his lips; before they parted and returned to their dishes and their family, talking about another possible trip together back to Coney Island.

* * *

"Okay, hoping I remembered everything, or else I'll have to give Diana a call," Alexis said as she opened her third suitcase. "First off, Gram," she said, handing her a tunic wrapped in plastic.

"How gorgeous," Martha said, opening the wrapping and taking out the peacock green fabric that had faux blue gemstones at the top along the neckline.

"I actually got a tunic for you and Julia, Beckett," Alexis said, handing her a sky blue tunic and then a smaller navy blue one.

"They're beautiful," Beckett replied, handing Julia hers.

"This is yours Dad," Alexis said, handing him a large, wrapped package. "It's heavy," she warned him.

"It is, what did you bring; rocks?" Castle asked. He opened the packaging, and took out a wooden statue of the god Shiva, holding what looked like a trident and with a bull next to him. "Wow, that's pretty nice, you're sure you didn't go to India itself?"

"No, but that would be so great if we could," Alexis said, handing Beckett a slightly smaller wrapped package.

"Ah, Parvati, I'm not surprised," Beckett said, smiling at the statue. It matched Castle's, the goddess holding the god Ganesha since he was their son. "Eventually we'll have them together. Thank you though Alexis, it's a great statue."

"You're welcome. Mr. Beckett, this is for you, I wanted to thank you for my fan. Beckett mentioned you liked statues of the god Krishna," Alexis said, handing him a small wooden statue of the god.

"I do, this one is going in my office," Jim said with a nod as he looked it over. "Thank you."

"Okay, that was it, except for this," Alexis said, taking out a wrapped package. "Dad, can Julia and I use your room?"

"Sure," Castle said before the two left. He went to sit next to his fiancée on the couch and said, "I have an idea what she has for Julia."

"Me too," Beckett said with a smile. A few minutes later the door to the room opened, and she looked over, seeing their daughter dressed in a cerulean blue _sari_. "Sweetie, you look so pretty," she said, holding her arms out to her.

Running carefully to her, Julia threw her arms around her mother, snuggling close to her. "Think so?" she asked.

"She's right, you do," Castle said. "I'm going to guess you've got one too?" he asked Alexis.

"In red," she answered with a smile. "But Julia's has _churidars_ under the skirt, so she can wear just the top and those to play if she doesn't want to wear the draping fabric."

"Good idea, what do you say sweetie?" Beckett asked her.

"Thank you Alexis!" Julia cried happily, turning and hugging her sister tightly.

After Julia was back in her clothes, Beckett said, "Speaking of gifts…" She went to the closet and got the bag she'd left there on Friday, taking out a present which she handed to her daughter.

Castle smiled as Julia walked up to him, taking the gift saying, "This is for me?"

"Yeah, 'cause it's Father's Day," the little girl said, her cheeks bright red.

Kissing her cheek, Castle unwrapped the box and taking off the lid, saw that his present was a framed photograph. Like Beckett's from Mother's Day, it was black and white and was of Julia on his shoulders, leaning over onto his head as they were both laughing together. He studied what he could see of the background and said, "The concourse between the Japanese Tea Garden and the Academy of Sciences?"

"I took it when I was asking Julia about her camera, when we cut across it to go to the Conservatory of Flowers, you two were laughing at something you said," Beckett replied with a smile. "She picked the picture and frame out."

"I love it," Castle said seriously. "We'll have to put our two pictures together," he then said to his fiancée, who nodded in agreement. He handed the picture to Alexis who was sitting next to him, and hugged Julia tightly to him. "Thank you so much sweetheart, I love you so much."

Nodding, Julia watched as Alexis then handed him a smaller box and she said quickly, "That's from us both."

Inside was another framed picture, but that frame was obviously handmade, stiff black cardboard with old fashioned photo corners on it. And the picture was of Castle with both Alexis and Julia, from the Japanese Tea Garden. "Perfect," he said, smiling at them. "Me with my girls." He hugged and kissed them both, thanking them before Beckett took both pictures to put away in his office. "Oh, Kate, should we show them?" he asked her.

"I'll get it," Beckett said with a smile, going to the closet and getting the telescope.

As soon as her mother had opened the case on the coffee table, Julia was squealing in absolute joy saying, "We can look at the stars now!"

"Yeah, but you might want to wait until we head to the Hamptons," Castle suggested carefully. "There's too much light pollution here in the city."

"Did you try it before?" Alexis asked.

"The other night when we ate dinner on the roof," Castle said. "Oh, speaking of which, dessert."

"What is it?" Julia asked interestedly.

"Ice cream from Spain," Castle said, handing them out. "They had it at the store and I couldn't pass it up."

"I see these all the time over there," Jim said. "I see kids eating it, so you'll like it Julia."

By then, the little girl was nodding eagerly, already licking at her cone. Julia smiled when the others laughed, leaning against her mother who was sitting next to her with her ice cream, listening to the others talk with Jim about his recent trip.

* * *

"I'm not sure about this one," Alexis said, walking into her bathroom.

"Which song?" Beckett asked, not surprised when the young woman looked up in surprise at her. She followed Alexis' gaze to Castle, who was drying Julia off after taking her out of the bath tub.

" _If Not For You_ ," Alexis said. "I mean, that's an insanely romantic song, but I don't think it's one you can really dance to."

"That one we can take off the list," Castle said.

"Oh, speaking of this album; the one that song's on; what about _I'd Have You Anytime_?" Alexis asked.

"Look at the fourth song," Beckett said. "Your dad and I decided on that one together after hearing it on Julia's record player."

"Great, so _Always_ , _Maybe I'm Amazed_ … you're sure about that one?" Alexis asked, reading down the list from the top.

"Yeah, it's a little fast in some spots, but I think we can manage it," Castle said, finishing dressing Julia in her pajamas.

" _Woman_ , _I'd Have You Anytime_ , _Calico Skies_ , _Something_ , _Beautiful Girl_ … that last one I haven't heard," Alexis said.

"You put that on? I told you we could forgo it," Beckett said as she helped Julia step up to the sink to brush her teeth.

"Well, it's a possible song," Castle said. "By the way Alexis, you're not planning on going through the whole list right now are you?"

"No, just this first page, _If Not For You_ is the last one," Alexis reminded him. "But it's going to take a few tries to get this list set. I mean, is this all you want to play?"

"We have a few songs not by The Beatles we wrote in the margins as you can see," Beckett said, leading the way out to the bedroom since Julia was ready.

"I like that song," Julia said, pointing to the title at the top in Castle's handwriting.

" _You're My Best Friend_? Yeah, that is a good song," Alexis said, looking over at Beckett who was sitting against the headboard with Julia on her lap.

"I like Queen too, and we agreed on that one while Julia was at school actually," Beckett said.

"She was pretty happy when we included it," Castle said. "Okay, so is she getting a story, or are we reading to her?"

"I think Alexis is," Beckett said, smiling as his daughter was sitting next to her and Julia with her Hindu mythology book.

"I knew you weren't going to sell that back," Castle said.

"There are some amazing stories in here," Alexis said.

"Okay, let's say goodnight to her because someone had a lot of sun and a lot of walking," Beckett said quickly, motioning to Castle who was sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Night Jules, I'll wake you up tomorrow okay? And don't forget that we're going to Coney Island with Dad," Alexis said, leaning over to share a kiss with her. "I love you."

"Night," Julia whispered, smiling at her sister shyly.

"I love you sweetheart, and thanks so much for my picture, it was the perfect Father's Day gift," Castle said, sharing a kiss with her.

"I'm glad you like it," Julia said, smiling widely at that.

"And I love you too Julia, sweet dreams and I'll see you before I head to work," Beckett said, kissing her before kissing her forehead. "And as soon as I can, I'll come and we'll go on some rides together. Okay?"

"Kay. Who is the story about today?" Julia asked eagerly, directing the question to Alexis and leaning over to see the picture at the start of the story her sister had picked out.

"Since I have that Lladro now," Alexis said, nodding to her dresser where she had placed it in the exact middle. "I thought we could hear about Ganesha." At Julia's hurried nodding, she began to read, looking at the little girl to see when she fell asleep.

With the three of them watching, closely, they were able to see the second Julia's eyes closed and her body relaxed completely. Alexis closed the book and got off the bed as Beckett picked up the little girl to tuck her in while Castle waited behind her.

Smiling as she watched them both kiss the top of Julia's head, Alexis went outside her room with them, closing the door. "I'm actually going to take a shower and head to bed myself," she told them once she'd stopped them from going downstairs.

"Jet lag?" Castle asked.

"A little still, and like Beckett said, we got a lot of sun today," Alexis said.

"Are you sure you don't mind sharing your bed?" Beckett asked suddenly as Castle and his daughter hugged tightly.

Smiling, Alexis said, "I've shared Julia's bed with her now, and besides, we are sisters, so I have no problems with it. To tell you the truth, I kind of missed her in San Francisco… well, Sausalito I should say, and how I'd wake her up and we'd talk before you came in to get her up."

"Now you can do that again," Castle pointed out to her.

"Which I will," Alexis said. "Night Beckett, Dad."

Saying the same to her, Castle and Beckett then went down to the kitchen, where he made them coffee while Beckett went into his room. He was just finishing her cup when he felt her lean against his back.

"You have one last gift," Beckett said, nodding to the counter where there was a wrapped box when he turned to her.

"Did Julia forget?" Castle asked in surprise, going over to it. Taking it back to her, where she was sipping at her drink, he set the gift aside on the counter, finishing his coffee. "Sorry, just wanted to make sure I get a little pick me up."  
"Open the box Castle," Beckett said with a sigh.

Smiling at her impatience in her tone, Castle did as she'd asked, and pulled out a framed picture, but that one was bigger than the one Julia had given to him. Looking at him and Beckett with their daughter he then glanced up at her before she suddenly spoke.

"I think we should do what we were joking about," she said hurriedly. "But make sure Alexis and our parents are with us too."

"So, this is just a temporary picture?" Castle asked.

"No, but when we go to the Hamptons again, we'll sit in the living room like we are there, and take a more formal picture," Beckett said. "I'd like to have that hanging somewhere in our new place; whatever we end up getting."

Leaning over then, Castle kissed her, telling her thank you that way instead of just saying it. He pulled away, and looking at into her half lidded eyes he started to move, but stopped himself by standing up straight. "You, should finish… Kate," he groaned under his breath as she touched his bruise.

"Does that hurt?" Beckett asked softly, tracing around the colored skin.

"No, it feels pretty nice actually," Castle said. He then grabbed her hand, and pressed his lips to her palm and then her fingertips, staring into her eyes the entire time.

"We should finish," Beckett said, her voice shaking at the pure intensity in his eyes. She slipped her hand from his grasp, and she sipped her coffee as he did the same, both of them looking at the picture of the three of them in the Hamptons on Memorial Day weekend. She couldn't help smiling at Julia's smile, knowing that her daughter had been incredibly happy taking her first family picture, though not everyone was in it; as the little girl had said.

As soon as he'd finished his drink, Castle hurried to put away the picture, setting the covered box on the table to remind them to talk over their idea with his mother and Alexis. He wasn't surprised to turn slightly to find Beckett coming up to him, and he took her hand in his, going to his room. All but two doors were locked, but once they went through them, he and his fiancée were completely alone, and the second the last lock was turned, he almost slammed her back against the door, crushing her lips with his.

Moaning heavily as it seemed like that day had been one very long line of stolen moments and frustratingly quick touches and their rapid kisses on Coney Island and there in the room, Beckett wrapped her arms around him tightly, fighting his tongue in her mouth. That kiss easily became more intense, and lasted far longer than the hurried one they'd shared before having to leave to make dinner. They had a good stretch of time still to them, and she knew he was going to make the most of it as he suddenly lurched away from the door, taking her with him.

Standing in front of the bed, Castle hurriedly pulled off her blouse before she was unbuttoning his shirt, their fingers abruptly reaching for what they could to divest one another of everything still on them. The second Beckett was left in nothing but her necklace; he was laying her down on the bed, joining her as he was in less than she was.

"Wait, I should-" Beckett started to say as she could feel the result of him no longer having to repress. He kissed her hard, and she was responding to him, unable not to, rubbing the back of his head with both her hands before he pulled away. "Castle, let me…" she started to say, breathing heavily as he was spreading kisses along her neck. She hissed when he still didn't answer her, but instead nipped around the hollow of her throat a few times, soothing the skin with his tongue.

Though he knew already what Beckett wanted to do, Castle instead went further down, and before he reached her breasts, raised his head to speak. "I know what you want, but since it's still Father's Day, and I'm assuming you want to give me something for today, let me tell you what we'll be doing," he told her, having moved up so he was face to face with her.

Shivering a little as his lips brushed against hers, Beckett then asked, "What do you want?"

"Everything," Castle said, his voice unabashedly husky and saturated with his desire, his hand reaching up to cup her breast. "Tell me I can have everything love," he said, careful not to couch his tone in a demanding way.

"Yes," Beckett breathed out in pleasure as his mouth was taking her right nipple between his lips. She closed her eyes tightly and moaned as he began to suckle at her, saying, almost deliriously, "Everything Rick, show me what you want." He was a little hard there, and she cried out slightly in surprise at his loss of control. But he was quick to make up for it, pleasuring both her breasts with his mouth and hands. She was soon on fire through her entire body, and before she could stop herself, she was begging him for more. She couldn't help blushing as she realized what she was saying, but she didn't bother to try and stop herself, knowing it wasn't going to really happen. Thinking that she was nearly distracted by Castle moving down her from her chest, but she was soon focusing on him as he kissed around her abdomen in passing, her muscles under the skin dancing in response.

Laying in between Beckett's legs that were already spread for him, Castle delayed things a little longer, kissing the inside of her thighs before he went in a steady trail to the top. At the apex of her legs, he swallowed roughly as he could see she was already wet and aroused, and he said a quick, mental apology to her as he didn't try to work up to it, bowing his head to take her clit between his teeth. Her reaction was instant, and he had a feeling she might not have wanted him to work up to it. So he proceeded to flick his tongue against her, hearing her moaning above him as her fingers slid through his hair. Finally he moved back and down, and flicking his tongue over her folds to distract her, he slid through as she was still crying out, and began to move it in a flicking motion again.

Arching her back a little, Beckett couldn't stop herself from moving with the motions that Castle was going through, and she wasn't too surprised when he quickly held down her hips with his hands. Biting at her lower lip, she still found a way to move, breathing heavily as she looked down to watch him, his head moving up and down slightly. A moan escaped her lips every so often, and more followed when his right hand reached down and began to rub at her clit. She couldn't stop herself, and reached down, joining his fingers as he briefly paused. She would have smiled as his tongue did the same, but luckily he was quick to recover, and she was soon moving with his mouth and their fingers as they worked together to pleasure her.

Castle took Beckett's hand after a while, guessing that it might be too much for her, and moved their hands out of the way slightly so he could look up at her. He wasn't surprised to see that he was right; their combined stimulation coupled with what he was already doing to her had nearly pushed her over the edge. So he was careful to slow down the pace of his tongue, which was fine by him as it was allowing him a chance to control his own arousal as he hadn't gone unaffected by what he was doing or her responses. He suddenly had the urge to pull away and just take her, knowing he didn't have to wait for her to ask him, she would allow him to fuck her as hard as he could. To get that thought out of his mind, he pulled back, and at her groan of protest, he was back at her clit, the nub heavily swollen in her arousal, and he took it carefully with his mouth.

Not caring that by then she was literally writhing on the bed, Beckett was completely unaware of time, of where she was. All she could know for sure was her own body, its reactions to her fiancé in between her legs, working so diligently to pleasure her. That same pleasure in response to him, as it burned through every space of her form until she felt almost hypersensitive. She knew the feeling of Castle, his tongue and fingers working together again. And at the last, she knew her climax as it suddenly broke through her body, making her arch her back roughly as she froze for the briefest instant.

Careful as he felt her slowly coming down from her ecstasy, Castle moved to lie next to her, feeling her slightly shaking once as he nuzzled her neck with his lips. "That was just the first time," he told her seriously, his voice husky with arousal still as he'd had no relief and held himself back while he'd focused on her.

"Oh god, one of those nights?" Beckett asked, though she noticed quickly she didn't sound all that upset at the thought. She bit her lip then as she sat up, glancing in between them. He didn't have to answer her question, since she knew the answer already. Smiling as he started to reach for her, she slapped his hands away and threw her arms around him to kiss him. She could tell he was startled as it took slightly longer for him to respond to her. But once he had he let that kiss go on for as long as it could before she pulled back. "Just this once, give me that control you're so intent on," she whispered against his lips.

"Y… yes, yes okay," Castle said as she had curled her fingers around his erection while speaking. "Ah! Damn it Kate, I hate when you do that," he hissed as she gently pulled, making him follow her before she let go. But even without the contact, he was going after her, surprised when she got on her knees on the floor. "Wait-" he started to say.

"Don't tell me that," Beckett said firmly, taking his wrists and pulling them away from her. Without a word from her he'd sat on the end of the bed, and she was in between his legs. Giving him a look, she let go of him and then leaned down, careful to use her hand before guiding him into mouth. She wasn't shocked at the sudden snap of tension that filled his body in front of her, since she knew he was probably right at the edge by then. So she decided to do what she could; knowing she had a lot less time than he'd had. With that in mind, she began to bob her head up and down slowly, suddenly feeling the urge to do something she had never had a chance to. And with that, she began to lightly hum a song that had never existed, that she made up, feeling his reaction almost instantaneously.

Hissing hard though his teeth as the pleasure was instantaneous, Castle instinctively reached down, threading his fingers through his fiancée's hair. He watched her closely, though he knew doing that was going to bring him riskily close to the edge. Feeling the sensation of her humming so directly around him was making him dizzy, and he ran his right hand over her locks to try and focus on that to distract him, feeling the texture of her hair and the waves in it. It helped, but only for a short while as she stopped humming and instead just moved on him without anything extra to aid her. He finally made her stop, having to hold onto the back of her head a little hard to do so, and once she had pulled away from him, pulled her up to him by her arms.

A little startled at their kiss, Beckett didn't try to pull away or move from what she was doing, instead going along with him, her hands on his cheeks. She breathed out heavily as they parted a while later, looking at him before she nipped at his lower lip and got down in front of him again. She heard his groan as she picked up right where she had left off, and that time she didn't bother to try and delay as she had been before; which was why she'd stopped humming; knowing they'd had to wait long enough. She felt his grip suddenly on the back of her head, wondering if she'd been so busy she hadn't felt him first touch her hair. But all thought left her, as she went back to concentrating on him when she realized suddenly that she wasn't really immune to what she was doing herself as his groans seemed to get louder and louder.

Almost panting, Castle was able to say, "Love…" before that last restraint gave away completely, and he was lost to the pleasure his fiancée was giving him. Trying to hold on to his sanity as she took his orgasm in stride, he had an inkling of dissatisfaction at how they were. He wanted more, but he lost the thought soon enough before he was limp, laying back on the bed. He was pretty sure some time had passed, since he had no idea when Beckett had moved to lay on him, kissing his cheeks and lips. "I think you're going to kill me one of these days, really pleasurably too," he commented. He felt her smile in her next kiss, and realized that he was feeling something against his thigh. "Are you…" he started to say, raising his head to look at her.

Stopping her movements as soon as he'd said that, Beckett moved away from him; not embarrassed that he'd caught her, but a little startled her trying to move carefully against him had been noticed. Her breath caught in her throat when he suddenly grabbed around her waist, holding her still as he pressed against her, both of them on their knees in the middle of the bed. Looking back at him, she was surprised when he had her turn her around. "So one of those nights," she said, glancing between them quickly.

Not answering, Castle pulled her to him, and kissed her hard as he managed to get her to straddle his lap. When their skin was touching, he wasn't inside of her, but pressed against her folds, shuddering as his imagination hadn't been playing tricks on him, she was fully aroused again. Grabbing her hips, he made her start to move, hearing her slight groan in response to that, his own joining hers. He ended their kiss so they could catch their breath, and watched her as she took over from him very quickly. He was breathing harshly as he watched her, both of them moving rapidly in a very short amount of time. There was of course the temptation to very simply move her and take her again, but he fought it, not wanting that night to be just about satisfying himself. He knew if he did that for her, he'd get a lot more in return as opposed to everything being about him. He was kissing at Beckett's neck, and finally descended to her breasts, taking them with his mouth and hands as she held him to her tightly.

Not really sure where exactly the idea had come from, Beckett had lost her hesitation with them just rubbing against each other. Granted, she thought to herself, it wasn't as pleasurable as their actual lovemaking, but she wasn't about to stop them. She stroked the back of his head as he was moving over her breasts, and finally couldn't take it anymore, moving his face up so it was tilted to her. She leaned down, kissing him roughly on the lips for only a few brief seconds before pulling away. She did that a second time and shuddered when Castle suddenly grasped her ass in his hands. She jerked on him in an arc as he squeezed hard, and she went down to brush her lips across his asking, "What do you want?"

"What I have already," Castle replied, sucking gently on her pulse that was racing against the side of her neck. He loved her throaty moan, and he pulled away before he could lose control and do that a lot harder. He moved to her lips, and they kissed at the same time, that instance taking things a little easier. It was in stark contrast to their bodies, as they undulated together, having settled on their rhythm without much in the way of hesitation. It wasn't really necessary, and it sent a shudder of pleasure through him at the thought they were that fine in sync with each other. All while that was going on though, his entire body felt as if it was sparking with electricity. She slid along him; it was energy; she touched his skin, his hair; it was energy, her lips brushed across his face; it was energy. All of that seemed to center on where they were together and yet not coupled; energy that became a heat that spread through him until he was pretty sure he was burning up. But it was all indescribable bliss, and something he was not going to stop for as long as he could get away with.

Going through much the same that her fiancé was, Beckett was fighting a little with her body, though she was sure not that much time had passed. But she gave up trying to figure that out, as she could feel her own pleasure rising, growing exponentially, to make her think that Castle would be able to hear her heartbeat, not just feel it throbbing against his length among her slick folds. She kissed him hard, feeling the desperation with which she grasped him in her hold on him. She knew they were together, and she pulled away, looking deeply into his eyes as he stared at her intently.

The gaze was broken when Castle suddenly laid Beckett on the bed, sinking in her smoothly, and setting off their combined climax as neither could hold out in the face of the added stimulation of their bodies joining. Instead of thrusting though, he kept her still, doing the same himself to just feel that moment when the world around them fell away to be just them on that bed, sharing something more intimate than could be described.

Unsure how long it took from the point when she was laying on the bed to her body trembling in the afterglow, Beckett gave up trying to figure that out too. Instead she was holding onto her fiancé, stroking his slightly damp hair. "Why didn't you move?" she finally asked when her breathing calmed down enough for her to speak.

"Don't tell me you didn't enjoy that," Castle said. When she didn't reply he sighed in mock exasperation, and pulled away, reaching around her to toss the pillows onto the armchair.

"What are you doing?" Beckett asked, watching him in surprise as he made her get up to get rid of the pillow under her head. She was startled when he grabbed her, and pushed her front against the headboard roughly. " _Rick_ …" she breathed.

There had been a second that Castle thought he'd gone too far with that, but her breathy whisper of his name was enough to convince him it was enough. He pressed close to her, but leaned down to brush his lips against her shoulder gently as she let out a soft moan. "I love you Kate," he whispered to her.

"I love you too Rick," Beckett said, looking back at him. She moved against him, biting her lower lip as she could feel him responding in turn. It took a little time, but she soon felt why he'd moved, and she reached to the back of his head as he moved her hair back over her shoulder. She helped him as she spread her legs, and with a slight movement down, she let out a gasp as he entered her, very slowly and carefully. She was about to speak, to beg him to fuck her, when he moved once, a hard, rough thrust. She pleaded with him immediately to do that again, and with that he proceeded to move, not caring with that that she had begged.

Going a little wild, kissing wherever he could reach of her skin, Castle was groaning with each press of his lips to her. Her flesh was warm and still slightly damp from their exertions before, but above all that, it was smooth, the texture like silk under his lips and making him repress a shudder. She was warm against his chest, his skin literally tingling with each brush against her and he held her back from the headboard enough so he could run his hands down her front, looking over her shoulder to watch. He nuzzled under her ear lobe; a little distracted by the way her body was moving against his to pay attention to what he was trying to look at in the first place.

Beckett however, watched him closely as his right hand strayed back up to her breasts, his left hand staying around the apex of her legs. She braced herself, but was surprised when he stroked her breasts first, very slowly in comparison to the way they were moving together. She breathed out heavily as his hands began to move together, not just his right, and his left fingers easily found her clit. She closed her eyes tightly, feeling him seeming to take his time, to try and feel what her skin was going to do to his sense of touch. She nearly huffed out a breath when his right hand brought her attention back to it, gently cupping and placing pressure around the mound it held. She looked down and watched his thumb rubbing around her nipple, it soon becoming stiffer as he flicked over it. It wasn't a big surprise when his left hand suddenly shot up to her other breast, and began to fondle her. But what was, was the fact that Castle was gentle again, and she had to wonder if his plan was to drive her insane.

Though he had no idea what she was thinking, Castle would have agreed with her if he had known, each touch to her body made his palms warm and he took another trip around the front of her body. Along with what he felt doing that, she was with him, moving with his body and making him try not to stop himself; to lengthen what he was feeling with her. But it was a difficult task; there was so much to sense, the scent of her body close to him, the taste of her skin as he nibbled gently at her ear, flicking his tongue against the shell. Loving her shiver of pleasure as he could feel it race down her spine, he whispered to her that he did, and kissed the palm of her hand as she reached back to him. He held her hand, going to her wrist and nibbling the skin as he could feel her tensing with each touch of his teeth. He reached down to her hips after he let her go so she could hold onto his neck, which she did tightly. He moved her with him, though he didn't really need to do that it was more of a way to feel her again; never getting tired of that.

Leaning back against her fiancé, Beckett was feeling as well, his body was firm against her, and his skin was rubbing against her with each of their combined thrusts. She could feel him moving within her, both of them working to create a great deal of friction between them, that made her both weak and not want to stop; not knowing how to explain that and not caring to. She felt his fingers slide across her hips, before he reached for her free hand, and they were working together to rub against her clit. Her back tensed up, rigid against his chest, as the added pleasure of that shot through her from where they were coupled to her breasts, feeling heat from all that, making her fight to stay with Castle, to keep from ending things far too soon, not realizing by then they'd been so heavily involved with one another it had been some time.

Making her lean back, Castle took his fiancée's lips in a kiss, trying not to get too frantic. When her tongue slipped past his lips, he threw that thought out the window, and deepened the kiss before he held her by the abdomen, and at the same time they jerked back and forth more calculatingly. Their kiss went into a second, and a third, followed by a fourth that was punctuated with a harsher breath of air than the first three. He lightly bit at her shoulder, feeling her tense, and moved to her ear, feeling almost feverish in his movements as he whispered to her, "I can't stop love. Tell me to stop Kate."

"Never," Beckett breathed heavily out. She leaned back so their lips could brush against one another and she murmured, "You'll never hear that from me. You're…" She couldn't quite finish that thought, but luckily Castle didn't care, both of them by then focusing more entirely on one another. They had gone back to their more natural pace, and she could feel his hands stroking all around her front. She was biting at her lower lip roughly as he moved around, his hands leaving long, wide trails of pure flames that made her shudder and writhe back against his chest. She laid her head back against his shoulder, letting things take their course as she was losing the struggle with delaying her end. She bit at her lower lip once, before straightening up, and leaning against the headboard, felt his quickened pace. The angle of his thrusts changed, and he was suddenly brushing against something deep within her. Her cry of absolute ecstasy hit the walls of the room, and she was closing her eyes tightly as she pressed her cheek against the cooler headboard, but it wouldn't stop the fever that was hitting her as each wave of her climax made her slam back against her fiancé as he was leaning over her back.

Yelling Beckett's name into her shoulder, Castle was trying to withstand what he himself was going through, feeling her orgasm. He was a little dazed at first, but things slowly came back to him, the roar in his ears dying down. But it was short lived, they managed to push each other to yet another intense high, that time neither he nor his fiancée trying to repress their cries and groans of pleasure. Time was lost, and he had no clue when it was that she stopped in front of him, and he did as well with a last, rough thrust against her, kissing around her shoulder where he'd yelled. Moving back from her quickly, he helped her to lie down before remembering why the pillows were gone.

Watching him grabbing some pillows, Beckett lay back when he came to her, and fixed the ones he tucked under her head. "You can be forceful when you want to," she commented, watching as he lay next to her.

"Well, I think you were subconsciously asking for that," Castle said. When she just looked at him, lying on her side against him, he said, "What?"

Shaking her head, Beckett couldn't stop her slight smile at that, and said, "Get some sleep Castle, you might be running around Coney Island again."

"Might be, I know I will," Castle said, scoffing slightly. He heard his fiancée yawn and then reached down, stroking her hair. "Did you see the poster?"

"I did," Beckett said, remembering the ads for the canceled Abbey Road Players concert at the amusement park. "At least Julia didn't see them."

"No," Castle said. "Are you tired?" he asked her.

Beckett raised her head and glanced at him before biting the side of her mouth in hesitation. Finally she smiled, and lay back, pulling Castle before they met in a kiss.

Making love very carefully, Castle and Beckett made sure to take their time since they could. When they finally managed to stop driving each other to the edge, they were exhausted and lay down quickly with him behind her.

"Love you," Castle murmured to her.

"Love you too Castle," Beckett said, smiling to herself at his kiss to the back of her shoulder. She felt his arm drape over her, and she was soon asleep, feeling him holding her closely as she had the last realization of him relaxing as well.

They both savored the fatigue they were feeling as it was evidence of the depth of their relationship, their desire for each other. They were in love and their bond was more than just their partnership. It was why they took pleasure in the emotional and physical aspect between them; it was what brought them always closer together, and what would keep them together as they found themselves getting nearer to July.


End file.
